family  Ristory 


f)ugb  L.  f>odge,  jVI.D.,  LL.D. 


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PRINCETON,  N.  J. 


Presented    by  "^2.^^  &o\v^^rcX"S.  C)-^  O  C\(l^ 


CS  71  .H623  H6  1903        ^ 
Hodge,  Hugh  Lenox,  1796- 

1873. 
Memoranda  of  family  history 


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MEMORANDA  ^^mr;^ 


OF 


Family  History 


Dictated  by 


Hugh  L  Hodge,  M.D.,  LL.D, 


■UPON 


The  Earnest  Solicitation 


OF 


His  Daughter 


HARRIET    WOOLSEY    HODGE 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 

in  2010  with  funding  from 

Princeton  Theological  Seminary  Library 


http://www.archive.org/details/memorandaoffamilOOhodg 


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Introductory  Statement 


The    following  pages  comprise  family    history    and    remiDisceuces   as 
dictated  by  father  to  Harriet  Woolsey,  brother  Lenox's  wife,  at  intervals 
during  the  last  years  of  his  life.     The  precious  manuscript  is  now  the 
property  of  Lenox's  sou,   Hugh   Lenox   Hodge.     With   his  permission 
and  assistance,  and  with  the  cooperation  of  my  brothers,  I  have  prepared 
it  for  the  press.     Places  left  blank   I   have  been  able,  in   most  cases,  to 
till  from  entirely  trustworthy  sources ;  but  some  arc  necessarily  left  unsup- 
plied.     The  utmost  care  has  been   taken  to  secure  accuracy  as  to  dates; 
and  where  an  evident  mistake  occurs  in  the  manuscript,  the  true  date  is 
put    in  brackets.     It  was  inevitable  that  sentences  given  by  dictation 
should  occasionally  need  to   be   rewritten  ;  but  it  will  be  found  that  the 
text  as  now  given   is  a  faithful   reproduction   of    father's   work.     The 
thread    of    the   narrative,   moreover,   was  often  broken,  and  there  were 
sometimes  repetitions.      An  effort  has  been  made  to  produce  a  continuous 
story  by  bringing  the  separated  parts  together,  and  by  the  omission  of 
what  had  been   already  narrated.      A  few   footnotes  have   been   added 
where  an  explanation  seemed  to  be  necessary,  or  where  additional  infor- 
mation could  be  given.      To  these  footnotes  I  have  added  my  initials  to 
distinguish  them  from  the  rest  of  the  work. 

Edward  B.  Hodge 
Philadelphia,  Pa.,  Jan.   1,  1903 


Family  History  and  Reminiscences 

Dictated  by  out  Father^  Hugh  L.  Hodge,  M.D^  LL.D. 


Towards  the  close  of  the  seventeenth  centnry,  William  Hodge,  of 
Scotch-Irish  descent,  lived  in  the  north  of  Ireland,  during  the  reign 
of  William  of  Orange  in  England. 

William  Hodge  died,  according  to  the  old  Bible  record,  in  1723.  The 
record  reads  thus :  "My  father,  William  Hodge,  S^^'  Dyed  the  14th  of 
Janr-.  1723,  about  nin  a  cloak  att  night."  Another  record  runs  thus: 
"My  mother  Dyed  the  15th  of  8r-.*  1730,  Margret  hodge,  about  11  or 
12  of  ye  Clock  at  night." 

There  was,  according  to  this  old  Bible,  a  son  William,  born  in  the 
old  country  in  1704,  the  24th  9r  (November,  old  reckoning).*  A  sec- 
ond son,  Hugh,  was  born  July  28th,  1706,  and  died  1711,  five  years 
of  age.  A  daughter,  Elizabeth,  was  born  the  28th  of  March,  1709, 
and  died  1711,  aged  two  years.  Andrew  Hodge  was  born  the  28th 
of  March,  1711,  and  Hugh  Hodge,  the  second  son  of  that  name  born 
to  William  Hodge,  was  born  January  11th,  1713.  Jane  Hodge  was 
born  February  15th,  1714,  but  of  her  subsequent  history  we  have  no 
record. 

Then  there  are,  besides  these,  in  the  family  Bible,  notices  of  Mr. 
John  Wormley  and  of  his  daughter,  Nellie;  the  latter  of  whom  was 
born  in  1755,  and  died  in  1773.  The  names  of  Elizabeth  and  William 
Duncan  also  appear,  of  whom  there  is  no  other  record,  unless  it  be 
this:  "My  father  died  Thursday,  6th  of  November,  1740,  about  ten 
o'clock  in  the  morning."  It  does  not  appear  what  connection  these 
had  with  the  Hodge  family,  unless  it  is  possible  they  were  the  descen- 
dants of  Jane  Hodge,  of  whose  marriage  and  death  there  is  no  record. 

The'se  children  of  William  Hodge  were  all  born  in  Ireland,  and  it 
does  not  appear  that  either  he  or  his  wife  ever  came  to  America,  al- 
though my  cousin,  the  late  John  Ledyard  Hodge,  was  under  the  im- 

*In  England,  from  the  14th  century  until  the  change  of  style  in  1752,  the  legal  and 
ecclesiastical  year  began  March  25th. — E.  B.  H. 


6  FAMILY  HISTORY  AXD  REMINISCENCES. 

pression  that  they  died  in  America,  and  were  buried  in  Bucks  County, 
Pennsylvania. 

About  the  period  of,  or  during  the  year,  1730,  when  Mrs.  William 
Hodge,  Sr.,  died,  the  three  brothers,  William,  Andrew  and  Hugh,  emi- 
grated to  America,  and  settled  in  this  city  of  Philadelphia  as  mer- 
chants. From  these  are  descended  those  relatives  of  ours  in  this 
country  to  whom  we  are  so  much  attached. 

William  Hodge,  the  oldest  of  the  three  brothers,  was  born  in  1704: 
in  the  north  of  Ireland.  He  married,  and  his  first  and  only  child, 
Mar}^  was  born  November  6th,  1737,  and  the  child's  mother  died  seven 
days  after,  on  the  13th  of  November,  1737.  The  old  Bible  has  the 
following  touching  entry:  "Marrey  Hodge  Borne  Novr.  ye  6th  1737. 
Hure  mother  Marrey  Hodge  Dyed  ye  13th  Ditto  &  do."  At  the  foot  of 
the  page  in  the  family  Bible,  where  all  valuable  writings  seem  to  have 
been  kept  in  those  days,  is  a  receipt  for  the  mother  and  child :  "Eecit 
for  Elixir  Paragorice  to  Eest  them  to  Sleep." 

Mary  Hodge,  for  whom  the  mother  gave  her  life,  was  married,  when 
twenty  years  of  age,  to  Mr.  William  West.  "Marrey  Hodge  was  mar- 
ried to  William  West  ye  18th  of  August  1757,  one  Thursday  evening." 

The  descendants  of  William  and  Mary  West  are  numerous. 

John,  one  of  William  and  Mary  West's  sons,  had  several  sons  and 
daughters;  among  others  William,  John,  and  Frank;  the  last  a  ph}'- 
sician  who  died  unmarried  in  1869.  Another  son  is  Captain  West, 
who  is  still  living  (1872).  Two  sisters  are  also  still  living  and  un- 
married. 

Captain  West,  who  is  still  living  (1872),  has  two  sisters,  who  are 
also  still  living  and  unmarried. 

One  of  the  daughters  of  William  and  Mary  West  married  Mr. 
I'razier,  and  had  several  children,  among  whom  were  William,  Falbro, 
and  John,  many  of  whose  descendants  survive.  William  and  Nalbro 
are  also  still  living.  Their  eldest  sister  married  a  Mr.  ISTesbit,  and 
lived  and  died  in  Alabama.  The  youngest  sister  married  Mr.  Cabot. 
]\Ir.  and  Mrs.  Cabot  and  their  children  are  still  living.  A  second 
daughter  of  William  and  Mary  West  married  a  Mr.  Conyngham. 
This  couple  were  the  parents  of  Judge  Conyngham,  of  Wilkes-Barre, 
Pa.,  and  of  Mr.  Conyngham,  of  Xew  Orleans;  also  of  Mrs.  Peters,  late 
of  Georgia.     'J'wo  others,  single  ladies,  still  live  in  Philadelphia. 

The  descendants  of  Mrs.  Peters  and  of  Judge  Conyngham  are  nu- 
merous. It  appears  also  from  a  statement  of  Mrs.  William  L.  Hodge 
(Sally  Bayard),  that  there  was  another  daughter  of  William  and  Mary 


FAMILY  HISTORY  AND  REMINISCENCES.  7 

West  who  married  a  Mr.  Stewart,  who  settled  in  Baltimore,  where  his 
-descendants  still  live. 

Andrew  Hodge,  the  third  son  of  William  Hodge,  Sr.,  was  born  in 
1711  in  the  old  country.  After  coming  to  America  and  establishing 
himself  in  Philadelphia  he  married  Jane  McCulloch  in  1739.  Jane 
had  a  brother,  Hugh  McCulloch,  an  elder  in  the  Second  Presby- 
terian Church  of  Philadelphia,  and  a  man  of  much  influence.  He 
was  very  positive  in  his  opinions  even  whpn  science  was  opposed  to 
him.  He  never  would  render  assent  to  the  declaration  that  the  earth 
moves  round  the  sun,  maintaining  that  it  was  contrary  to  his  own 
■observation  as  well  as  to  the  authority  of  the  Bible  in  which  Joshua 
is  represented  as  commanding,  not  the  earth,  but  the  sun,  to  stand 
still.  His  character  is  said  to  have  been  imbibed  by  our  family :  "Oh, 
there  is  McCulloch  blood"  being  quite  a  saying  among  us. 

This  Mr.  Hugh  McCulloch  had  a  son  who  settled  in  Baltimore, 
Where  some  of  his  descendants  still  survive.  He,  like  his  father, 
Hugh  McCulloch,  was  a  man  of  strong  opinions.  He  entered  the 
Eevolutionary  Army,  and  was  advanced  to  the  rank  of  Colonel.  When 
war  was  declared  with  England  in  1812  he  could  not  be  restrained 
from  entering  the  volunteer  corps  of  the  Baltimore  militia,  and  with 
them  encountered  General  Eoss  at  the  battle  of  North  Point.  He 
there  received  a  shot  which  caused  a  fracture  of  the  thigh.  Notwith- 
standing this  severe  fracture  in  his  old  age  he  recovered  and  lived  for 
many  years  on  his  farm  near  Baltimore.  Here  I  and  my  brother 
■Charles,  when  we  were  lads,  were  taken  by  mother  to  pay  him  a  visit ; 
of  which  visit  we  have  very  pleasant  recollections. 

A  daughter  of  Hugh  McCulloch  married  Dr.  Burkhead,  of  Baltimore, 
.and  they  had  several  descendants.  Another  daughter  married  Colonel 
Anderson,  and  there  are  descendants  from  this  union  also.  Colonel 
Anderson  was  a  man  of  education  and  talent.  Mrs.  Anderson  was  the 
mother  of  Mrs.  John  Lapslcy,  and  also   Mrs.   Penninsrton  Shcwell,  and 

.also  of  Mrs. ,  who  married  and  settled  in  Kentucky. 

Mrs.  Shewell  died  without  children. 

'  Mrs.  William  L.  Hodge  informs  me  that  Dr.  Ashbel  Green's  third 
wife  was  a  McCulloch,  and  Dr.  Green's  son,  Jacob  Green,  a  lawyer  of 
Princeton,  married  also  a  McCulloch,  the  niece  of  his  step-mother. 

These  must  have  been  the  daughters  of  another  son  of  Hugh  McCul- 
loch, of  whom  there  is  no  record.  Mrs.  Jacob  Green,  above  alluded  to,  still 
survives,  and  her  daughter  is  married  to  the  Eev.  Samuel  Dod,  of  the 
■"Stevens  Institute  of  Technology,"  Hoboken,  New  Jersey. 


8  FAMILY  HISTORY  AND  REMINISCENCES. 

^ye  now  reiurn  to  Andrew  Hodge,  who  married  Miss  McCuUoch. 
He  and  his  wife  had  a  large  number  of  children :  Margaret,  -born 
1740,  married  to  John  Bayard  of  Maryland;  Agnes,  born  1742,  mar- 
ried to  Dr.  James  A.  Bayard;  John  Hodge,  William  Hodge,  Andrew 
Hodge,  Hugh  Hodge,  and  Jane  Hodge,  born  1757,  married  to  B. 
Phillips  of  England;  Mary,  born  1761,  married  to  Major  Hodgson; 
James  Hodge,  and  others  who  died  in  childhood. 

The  eldest  child,  Margaret,  was  born,  as  mentioned  above,  in  1740. 
Her  husband,  John  Bayard,  of  Maryland,  afterwards  settled  in  Phila- 
delphia, where  he  lived  for  many  years  and  became  an  officer  of  the 
grade  of  colonel  in  the  Eevolutionary  Army.  After  the  death  of  his 
wife,  Margaret  Hodge,  he  married  a  daughter  of  the  Eev.  Dr.  Kodgers,. 
of  Xew  York,*  and,  after  her  death,  a  Mrs.  White,  with  whom  he 
lived  at  Xew  Brunswick,  N.  J.,  where  he  died  at  an  advanced  age. 
His  children  were  those  of  his  first  wife,  Margaret  Hodge.  One  of 
these  was  Mr.  Samuel  Bayard,  afterwards  Judge  Bayard,  who  lived 
at  Princeton,  N.  J.,  was  an  elder  in  the  Presb}i;erian  Church,  and 
treasurer  of  the  college.  His  wife  was  Miss  Pintard.  Their  daughter, 
Susan  Bayard,  died  at  fifteen  years  of  age.  Their  son,  Samuel 
Bayard,  Jr.,  is  now  living  at  Camden,  N.  J.  He  married  Miss^ 
Dashiell,  of  Cincinnati,  0.,  by  whom  he  had  one  son.  General 
Dashiell  Bayard,  a  bold  cavalry  officer  in  the  late  War  of  the 
Eebellion,  who  was  killed  by  a  cannon  shot  at  Fredericksburg,  Va. 
Samuel  had  also  three  daughters,  two  married  and  one  still  single. 
Lewis  Bayard  was  a  clergyman  of  the  Episcopal  Church,  and  married 
a  Miss  Rhea,  by  whom  he  had  several  children. 

Another  son  of  Samuel  Bayard,  Sr.,  was  married,  and  had  several 
children.    He  resided  in  Jersey  City,  and  died  there. 

A  second  daughter  of  Samuel  Bayard,  Sr.,  was  Julia,  who  married 
Mr.  Washington,  a  resident  of  the  State  of  Virginia.  There  she 
lived  and  died,  leaving  one  daughter,  Augusta.  This  daughter  married 
a  Mr.  Wirt,  son  of  Attorney  General  William  Wirt,  of  Maryland, 
and  she  is  living  at  her  home  on  the  Rappahannock  River,  Virginia. 

The  third  daughter  of  Samuel  Bayard,  Sr.,  was  Caroline,  who' 
married  the  Rev.  Mr.  Dod,  professor  of  mathematics  in  Princeton 
College.  Caroline's  husband  died,  leaving  her  in  restricted  circum- 
stances. Her  eldest  daughter  married  Edwin  Stevens,  of  Hoboken, 
N".  J.,  who  died  some  three  years  ago,  leaving  his  wife  in  possession 

*In  the  "Life  of  Charles  Hodge"  (p.  5)  it  is  said  that  James  A.  Bayard,  son  of 
John  and  Margaret  Bayard,  married  a  daughter  of  Dr.  Rodgers.— E.   B.  H. 


FAMILY  HISTORY  AND  REMINISCENCES.  9 

of  the  family  mansion  at  Hoboken,  and  the  mother  of  a  family  of 
five  or  six  children.  One  daughter,  handsome  and  interesting,  died  at 
Eome,  at  six  years  of  age. 

Two  other  daughters  of  Mrs.  Dod  married  in  succession  Mr. 
Richard  Stockton,  son  of  Mr.  Richard  Stockton,  of  Princeton,  many 
years  Senator  of  the  United  States.  Caroline,  the  older  of  these  two 
daughters,  and  the  first  wife  of  Mr.  Stockton,  died  leaving  several 
children.  Susan,  the  younger  of  the  two,  and  the  second  wife  of 
Mr.  Stockton,  still  lives,  and  fehe  also  has  several  children.  The 
fourth  daughter  of  Mrs.  Dod  married  Mr.  Walker,  a  lawyer  of 
Washington,  son  of  Robert  J.  Walker,  once  Secretary  of  the 
Treasury  at  Washington,  and  Governor  of  Kansas  during  the  trouble 
which  there  existed  before  the  late  Civil  War. 

Mrs.  Dod  had  also  three  sons.  The  eldest,  Albert,  married  a  Miss 
Mackintosh,  who  did  not  live  long.  ]£e  served  as  an  officer  in  the 
late  war,  and  was  at  the  battle  of  Chattanooga.  A  second  son  was 
Samuel  B.  Dod,  who  married  Miss  Isabella  Williamson  Green, 
daughter  of  Jacob  Green,  and  granddaughter  of  Dr.  Ashbel  Green, 
President  of  Princeton  College.  This  IMr.  Dod  settled  as  a  clergy- 
man in  Monticello,  IST.  Y.,  and  afterwards  at  Wilkes-Barre,  Pa.  He 
now  is  President  of  the  Board  of  Trustees  of  the  "Stevens  Institute 
of  Technology,"  at  Hoboken,  jST.  J. 

The  third  son,  Charles,  was  an  officer  on  the  staff  of  General  W.  Scott 
Hancock  in  the  late  Civil  War,  and  died  while  so  employed.  (For 
further  information  about  the  descendants  of  John  Bayard  and 
Margaret  Hodge  see  p.  10.) 

The  second  daughter  of  Andrew  Hodge,  Agnes  Hodge,  married  Dr. 
•James  A.  Bayard,  of  Delaware  (No.  1),  the  twin  brother  of  Colonel 
John  Bayard. 

One  of  their  children,  Mary  Bayard,  died  single.  Another,  John 
Hodge  Bayard,  who  was,  I  believe,  a  physician,  died  in  Cumberland, 
Md.  Still  another  son  was  James  A.  Bayard  (ISTo.  3),  a  lawv-er,  who 
devoted  himself  to  politics,  and  represented  the  State  of  Delaware 
in  Congress  at  the  time  of  the  contested  election  respecting  Thomas 
Jefferson  and  Aaron  Burr  for  the  Presidency  of  the  United  States. 
He  has  the  credit  of  having  given  the  casting  vote  by  which  Mr. 
Jefferson  was  made  President.  He  was  afterwards  Senator  from 
Delaware,  and  in  1814  signed,  in  conjunction  with  Clay,  Albert 
Gallatin  and  others,  the  treaty  of  Ghent,  which  terminated  the  War 
of  1812  with  Great  Britain.     He  was  soon  afterwards  attacked  with 


10  FAillLY  HISTORY  AND  REMINISCENCES. 

a  severe  iuflanimation  of  the  throat,  and  died  August,  1815,  a  few 
days  after  his  return  from  Europe,  in  his  home  at  Wihnington,  Del.* 

His  eldest  son  was  Eichard  Bayard,  who  studied  law  and  married 
Miss  Carroll,  of  Carrollton,  Md.  He  also  became  later  a  member 
of  the  United  States  Senate.  In  course  of  time  he  moved  to 
Philadelphia,  and  died  in  the  spring  of  1868,  leaving  a  wife  and  four 
daughters  and  one  son. 

Miss  Caroline  Bayard  was  the  second  child.  She  never  married. 
Her  death  occurred  at  Wilmington,  Del.,  December,  1871. 

James  A.  Bayard  was  the  second  son  of  James  A.  Bayard  (No.  2). 
His  wife  was  a  Miss  Francis,  of  Philadelphia,  who  died  a  few  years 
ago,  leaving  several  children.  He  succeeded  his  brother  Eichard  as 
Senator  from  Delaware,  but  later  retired  from  public  business,  and  is 
living  at  Wilmingion.  He  has  the  great  satisfaction  of  seeing  his 
son,  Thomas  Bayard,  taking  his  place  as  Senator  in  the  ITnited  States 
Congress.  He  has  also  two  daughters,  Mrs.  Lockwood  and  Mrs.  Kane. 
James  A.  Bayard  (No.  2)  had  a  third  son,  whose  name  was  Edward, 
who  married  Miss  Walworth,  daughter  of  Chancellor  Walworth,  of 
XeAV  York.  He  studied  law,  but  turned  afterwards  to  the  study  of 
medicine,  and  is  now  a  homoeopathic  physician  in  New  York. 

A  fourtli  son  was  Henry  Bayard,  who  married  Miss  Dixon,  of 
Victoria,  Pa.,  where  Mr.  Bayard  was  engaged  in  the  iron  business. 
He  and  his  wife  survive,  and  have  a  family  of  children. 

Having  thus  given  some  account  of  the  Delaware  Bayards 
(descended  from  James  A.  Bayard  and  Agnes  Hodge),  we  now 
return  to  take  up  the  story  of  the  descendants  of  John  Bayard  (twin 
brother  of  James  A.  Bayard),  who  married  Margaret  Hodge,  elder 
sister  of  Agnes. 

One  of  the  sons  of  John  and  Margaret  Bayard,  Mr.  Samuel  Bayard, 
who  l)ecame  treasurer  of  Princeton  College,  has  already  been 
mentioned  (see  page  8). 

Another  son  was  Andrew  Bayard,  a  merchant,  and  afterwards  an 
auctioneer  in  Philadelphia.  He  was  subsequently  the  first  President  of 
the  Commercial  Bank  and  also  of  the  first  Philadelphia  Savings 
Institution,  now  situated  at  the  corner  of  Washington  Square  and 
Walnut  Street. 

Andrew  Bayard  married  Sarah  Pettit,  daughter  of  Colonel  Pettit, 
of   the   Eevohitionary    Army.      His    eldest    child    was    Sarah    Pettit 

♦The  death  of  Mr.  Bayard  is  ascribed  by  Sally  Bayard  Hodge,  not  to  inflammation 
of  the  throat,  but  to  necrosis  of  the  breast  bone.— E.   B.  H. 


FAMILY  HISTORY  AND  REMINISCENCES.  11 

Bayard,  who  married  my  cousin,  Mr.  William  L.  Hodge,  and  is  still 
living  in  Washington,  D.  C. 

His  second  child  was  John  Bayard,  a  merchant,  who  died 
unmarried  in  the  month  of  October,  1869. 

Tlie  third  child  was  Elizabeth  Ingersoll  Bayard,  who  married 
John  S.  Henry.  She  is  now  a  widow,  living  in  Germantown,  Pa. 
She  has  three  sons,  Alexander,  Charlton  and  Samuel,  and  two 
daughters,  Sarah,  married  to  the  Eev.  Samuel  Clark,  an  Episcopal 
clergyman,  residing  at  Elizabeth,  ]S[.  J.,  and  Theodosia,  who  lives, 
unmarried,  with  her  mother. 

A  third  daughter  of  Andrew  Bayard  and  Sarah  Pettit  was 
Theodosia  Graydon  Bayard,  who  did  not  marry.  She  lives  with  her 
sister  Mrs.  Henry,  of  Germantown. 

Mr.  Bayard's  second  son  was  James  Bayard,  who  was  educated  as 
a  lawyer  in  the  office  of  his  cousin,  Joseph  E.  Ingersoll.  He  was  at 
one  time  a  member  of  the  House  of  Eepresentatives  of  Pennsylvania. 
He  married  Miss  Mary  Backus,  daughter  of  Mr.  E.  F.  Backus,  of 
Albany.  Her  mother  was  a  daughter  of  Colonel  Samuel  Chester,  of 
Connecticut.  They  now  live  in  Locust  Street,  above  Sixteenth  Street, 
Philadelphia. 

A  fourth  daughter  was  Anna  Maria,  who  married  Dr.  Stewart, 
and  died  a  few  years  afterwards,  leaving  two  children,  one.  Bayard, 
who  died  in  infancy,  the  other,  Thomas,  who  is  living  at  Washington 
Square  and  Seventh  Street,  Philadelphia. 

Mr.  Andrew  Bayard's  third  son  and  youngest  child  is  Charles 
Pettit  Bayard.  He  became  a  merchant  and  afterwards  a  broker,  and 
has  lived  many  years  in  Germantown.  He  married  Miss  Adeline 
McKean.  daughter  of  Judge  Joseph  McKean,  and  granddaughter  of 
Governor  IMcKean,  of  Pennsylvania.  They  had  several  children, 
Charles,  Anna  Maria,  James,  William  and  Caroline. 

I  have  now  traced  the  descendants  of  Andrew  Hodge  and  his  wife, 
Jane  McCulloch,  through  their  two  older  children,  Margaret  and 
Agnes.  The  oldest  son  ivas  John  Hodge,  of  whom  I  know  nothing, 
except  that  he  was  born  in  1747  and  died  in  1770. 

The  next  child  urns  William  Hodge.  He  was  born  in  1750,  and 
was  educated  as  a  merchant.  My  cousin,  John  Ledyard  Hodge, 
speaks  of  his  uncle  William  as  being  known  abroad  as  "the  handsome 
American."  He  became  a  secret  agent  of  the  United  States  Govern- 
ment at  the  time  of  our  Eevolution.  He  had  authority,  as  the  agent 
of  the  United  States,  to  send  arms  and  ammunition  to  America  from 


13  FAMILY  HISTORY  AND  REMINISCENCES. 

France.  A  vessel  was  stationed  for  this  purpose  in  the  harbor  at 
Brest,  and  Mr.  Hodge  worked  secretly  in  Paris. 

The  movements  of  the  vessel  excited  the  suspicions  of  the  British  at 
Brest,  and  complaint  was  made  to  the  government  at  Paris.  Orders 
were  accordingly  sent  for  the  seizure  of  the  American  vessel  on  the 
charge  of  violating  neutrality  laws.  The  execution  of  these 
orders,  which  were  several  times  repeated,  was  evaded  by  various 
devices,  such  as  altering  the  color  and  appearance  of  the  vessel,  so 
that  it  eventually  escaped.  The  accusations  of  the  British  officers, 
however,  were  directed  so  distinctly  and  emphatically  against  Mr. 
Hodge  that  the  French  Government  felt  compelled  to  arrest  him 
and  commit  him  to  the  Bastile.  A  secret  intimation,  meantime, 
was  given  to  the  superintendent  to  treat  him  with  all  kindness.  In 
actual  fact,  therefore,  he  lived  on  the  fat  of  the  land,  all  of  his 
wants  being  abundantly  supplied,  and  in  due  time  he  was  liberated 
through  the  intercession  of  oar  government.  He  subsequently 
returned  to  America,  where  he  died,  unmarried,  in  1780. 

Andrew,  the  fifth  child  of  Andrew  Hodge  and  Jane  MrCulloch,  was 
born  in  1753,  and  was  educated  practically  with  the  expectation  of 
his  becoming  a  lawyer.  He  entered  the  Kevolutionary  Army,  however, 
and  served  as  a  captain  at  the  battles  of  Trenton  and  Princeton.  He 
afterwards  became  a  merchant  in  Philadelphia,  and  married  Anne 
Ledyard,  half-aunt  of  the  author  and  traveller,  and  by  her  had  several 
children.  His  oldest  son  was  John  Ledyard  Hodge,  who  was  brought 
up  in  Mr.  Eobert  Ealston's  store,  and  went  as  supercargo  with  Mr. 
Ealston  on  several  voyages  to  the  West  Indies  and  the  Mediterranean. 
He  afterwards  settled  down  as  a  co-partner  with  a  merchant  at 
Marseilles,  and  became  quite  rich.  As  he  was  of  a  social  character, 
and  exhibited  considerable  talent,  united  with  an  excellent  memory,  he 
became  very  acceptable  to  the  French  inhabitants  and  to  the 
authorities.  In  after-life  he  gave  very  interesting  anecdotes  of  his 
various  friends  and  acquaintances  in  Paris  as  well  as  in  Marseilles, 
many  of  whom  were  in  high  literary  as  well  as  political  positions 
during  the  time  of  the  First  Napoleon.  He  served  on  the  staff  of 
one  of  the  French  generals  in  the  Army  in  the  ISTorth  of  Spain,  during 
the  Napoleonic  invasion,  and  was  in  the  siege  of  Barcelona. 

He  suffered  much  yjersonally  while  detained  in  that  city  during  the 
prolonged  attack  upon  the  place  by  the  English  and  Spanish  forces, 
being  at  times  so  badly  off  as  to  eat  rats.  After  his  liberation,  and 
upon  a  review  of  the  state  of  his  ad'airs  at  Marseilles,  be  retired  to 


FAMILY  HISTORY  AND  REMINISCENCES.  13 

Tunis,  in  Africa,  where  he  spent  many  years  in  mercantile  business. 
Here  he  had  many  friends  among  the  English  and  Americans,  and 
had  much  influence  with  the  governor.  Here,  too,  he  indulged  his 
taste  for  reading,  and  also  collected  many  valuable  and  rare  medals 
and  coins,  said  to  have  been  collected  from  the  ruins  of  old  Carthage 
and  representing  many  of  the  old  emperors.  These  were  afterwards 
given  to  his  nephew,  J.  Ledyard  Hodge,  and  some  few  to  his  niece, 
Theodosia,  by  whom  they  were  arranged  in  the  form  of  a  bracelet. 
Many  years  afterwards  he  returned  to  Philadelphia,  and  recommenced 
his  mercantile  pursuits,  which  were  not,  however,  prosecuted  very 
vigorously.  Nevertheless  he  had  considerable  property.  Through  his 
personal  influence  with  leading  bankers  during  the  troublesome  times 
between  1830  and  1840,  he  contributed  to  Ihe  interests  of  his  brothers 
William  and  Andrew  at  New  Orleans.  By  President  Pillmore  he  was 
appointed  Consul  at  Marseilles,  and  remained  there  during  his 
administration,  and  also  during  two  or  three  years  of  the  administra- 
tion of  Fillmore's  successor,  President  Pierce.  At  the  port  of  Mar- 
seilles Mr.  Hodge  exercised  extensively  his  social  disposition,  kept 
an  open  house,  especially  for  Americans,  and  was  visited,  of  course, 
by  all  the  commanders  of  our  public  and  private  vessels,  upon  whom 
he  had  frequently  the  opportunity  of  conferring  favors.  These  visita- 
tions were  the  more  numerous  from  the  fact  that  the  time  was  that 
of  the  Crimean  War,  so  that  large  numbers  of  transport  vessels,  as 
well  as  men  of  war,  stopped  at  Marseilles. 

Among  other  incidents  was  the  arrival  of  Kossuth,  the  Hungarian 
patriot,  who,  after  his  liberation  from  Turkey,  came  to  this  port. 
Much  disturbance  was  caused,  and  Mr.  Hodge  had  much  trouble 
in  resisting  the  plans  of  Kossuth,  and  in  preventing  any  breaches  of  the 
peace.  They  had  a  sharp  controversy,  which  was  carried  on  by  letters, 
which  were  afterwards  published,  affording  probably  the  first  evidence 
that  the  aims  of  Kossuth  were  not  always  correct  and  praiseworthy. 

At  the  termination  of  his  Consulship  Mr.  Hodge  returned  home, 
but  did  not  resume  business.  Sometimes  he  was  to  be  found  in 
Washington,  sometimes  with  his  sister,  Mrs.  Sands,  and  sometimes 
travelling  through  different  parts  of  the  country.  A  greater  part  of 
one  winter  he  spent  in  Texas  and  Mississippi.  Subsequently  he 
spent  a  winter  with  his  sister  in  New  York,  and  afterwards,  as  his 
health  was  becoming  poor,  his  winters  were  spent  in  Philadelphia,  as 
he  was  attached  to  the  place  of  his  birth,  and  hopeful  that  he  would 
be  permitted  to  die  there.    This  desire  of  his  heart  was  granted,  and 


14  FAMILY  HISTORY  AND  REMINISCENCES. 

his  death  occurred  in  Philadelphia  on  the  4th  of  February,  1870, 
about  two  months  before  the  conclusion  of  his  eighty-sixth  year,  Mr. 
John  Hodge  never  married,  but  everywhere  he  was  very  popular, 
having  fine  conversational  talent,  abounding  in  humor  and  in 
anecdotes,  especially  concerning  the  great  men  in  Europe.  He  had 
seen  and  read  a  great  deal,  and  his  memory  was  very  retentive.  His 
manners  were  very  polite  and  polished,  but  accompanied  by  so  much 
cheerfulness  of  mind  and  heart  as  to  dissipate  any  impression  of 
stiffness  or  reserve,  while  his  impulses  toward  his  family  and  his 
friends  were  always  affectionate  and  generous. 

The  next  child  of  Andrew  Hodge,  Jr.,  and  ISTancy  Hodge  (Anne 
Ledyard)  was  Jane,  who  was  born  in  1786.  She  grew  up  a  handsome 
and  intelligent  girl;  but,  owing  to  a  shock  of  electricit}',  her  nervous 
system  was  much  injured.  She  became  afterwards  subject  to  cataleptic 
turns,  which  recurred  at  intervals  during  her  long  life.  She  married 
Dr.  Eobert  H.  Eose,  a  very  intelligent  Scotch  gentleman  of  great 
cultivation  and  taste.  He  purchased  a  large  tract  of  wild  land  in 
Susquehanna  County,  Pa.,  and  erected  a  handsome  house  on  the 
border  of  Silver  Lake,  where  he  exerted  for  many  years  a  great 
influence,  contributing  largely  to  the  comfort  and  cultivation  of  the 
numerous  settlers  who  followed  him  to  that  locality,  giving  them, 
among  other  things,  the  use  of  a  large  library.  His  name  is  preserved 
in  that  of  Montrose,  a  town  not  far  from  his  home  at  Silver  Lake. 

Jane  became  the  mother  of  several  children.  The  oldest  was  Ann, 
who  married  William  Main,  at  that  time  a  civil  engineer.  He 
subsequently  moved  to  Philadelphia,  where  he  has  occupied  almost 
to  the  present  time  the  position  of  recording  secretary  and  treasurer  of 
the  Board  of  Education  of  the  Presbyterian  Church.  Ann  had  three 
children.  Alice,  the  eldest,  died  of  consumption  at  twenty  years  of 
age.  The  next  Avas  William,  a  civil  engineer  and  assayer,  now  living 
in  Colorado.  He  marri(;d  Miss  Eillel:)rown,  belonging  to  a  New 
England  family,  now  resident,  however,  in  South  Carolina.  The 
third  was  Annie,  who  married  Mr.  Giles,  descended  from  a  Virginia 
family.  His  present  residence  is  in  Minnesota,  to  which  State  his 
wife's  parents  have  now  resorted. 

Dr.  Rose  died  many  years  ago,  l)ut  liis  wife,  Jane,  lived  until 
February  8th,  1800.  She  was  eighty  years  of  age  at  the  time  of  her 
death. 

Another  child  of  Andrew  Hodge,  Jr.,  and  Nancy  Hodge  (Anne 
Ledyard)    was    William    Ledyard    Hodge,    born    in    January,    1790. 


FAMILY  HISTORY  AND  EEMINISCENCES.  15 

Owing  to  the  circumstances  of  his  father  his  early  education  was 
much  neglected;  but,  being  a  man  of  great  talent  and  excellent 
memory,  he  improved  every  opportunity  by  reading  and  attention 
to  business,  so  that  he  became,  not  only  only  an  excellent  merchant, 
but  a  man  of  extended  influence,  especially  by  the  use  of  his  pen. 
He  settled  as  a  merchant  in  Philadelphia,  and  for  a  time  was  very 
prosperous.  He  married  Sally  Pettit  Bayard,  eldest  daughter  of 
AndrcAv  Bayard.  Soon  afterwards,  however,  he  failed  in  business, 
and  went  to  Marseilles.  He  returned  to  America  after  a  few  years 
and  entered  into  business  in  New  Orleans,  where  his  younger  brother 
x\ndrew  liad  acquired  a  large  fortune.  In  the  troublous  times  attend- 
ing the  failure  of  the  United  States  Bank  he  again  failed.  He  then 
became  the  editor  of  the  New  Orleans  Bulletin,  which  he  carried  on 
with  credit  until  the  election  of  General  Taylor  as  President  of  the 
United  States.  Soon  afterwards  he  received  the  appointment  of 
Assistant  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  under  the  Honorable  Thomas 
Corwin,  and  for  a  time  was  Acting  Secretary. 

At  the  end  of  the  administration  of  Mr.  Fillmore,  who  succeeded 
General  Taylor,  Mr.  Hodge  continued  his  residence  in  Washington, 
doing  business  as  an  agent.  He  was  subject  to  occasional  attacks  of 
gout,  and  about  the  year  1865  or  1866  it  made  serious  inroads  upon 
his  health.  His  heart  became  much  diseased  in  1867.  Dropsical 
symptoms  supervened,  and  he  died  on  the  22d  of  January,  1868.  He 
had  just  completed  his  seventy-eighth  year.  He  had  seven  children. 
The  eldest  is  Anne,  now  wife  of  Eear  Admiral  Eodgers,  of  the  United 
States  Navy.  Three  or  four  children  were  born  to  William  Hodge 
in  France.  Two  were  twins,  and  died  early.  The  next  was  a  son. 
Bayard,  a  beautiful  and  intelligent  child,  who  died  very  suddenly 
of  scarlet  fever  in  Philadelphia.  x\nother  was  Sarah,  who  died  at 
two  years  of  age  of  convulsions.  The  next  daughter  was  Theodosia, 
wlio  was  born  on  the  4th  of  July,  1832.  She  still  survives,  a  very 
intelligent  and  cultivated  woman.  The  next  and  last  child  was  John 
Ledyard  Hodge,  a  young  man  of  much  talent  and  promise,  who 
Avas  born  in  1834.  He  received  his  collegiate  education  at  Princeton, 
studied  law  at  the  University  of  Virginia,  and  was  licensed  to  practice 
that  profession  in  Philadelphia.  Hero  he  remained  until  the  War 
of  1861,  when  he  entered  the  Paymaster  General's  office  in  Washing- 
ton, where  he  continued  to  live  after  the  conclusion  of  peace.  He 
married  a  Miss  Wilson,  whose  father  lived  on  the  Eastern  Shore  of 
Maryland. 


16  FAMILY  HISTORY  AND  REMINISCENCES. 

Another  child  of  Andrew  Hodge,  the  second,  and  N^ancy  Hodge, 
(Anne  Ledyard)  was  Andrew,  who  died  in  infancy.  Another  was 
James,  who  was  educated  for  the  Navy.  He  died  some  years  after- 
wards at  Norfolk,  Va.  A  daughter,  Ann,  was  born  in  1794,  and 
was  married,  in  May,  1819,  to  her  cousin  Austin  Ledyard  Sands,  of 
New  York,  by  whom  she  had  several  children,  four  of  whom  survive. 
They  are  Dr.  Austin  Sands,  now  of  Newport ;  Samuel  Sands,  a  broker ; 
William  Sands,  a  merchant  or  broker,  and  also  Andrew  Hodge  Sands, 
a  lawA^er.  The  three  first-mentioned  are  married,  and  Samuel  has 
a  large  family  of  children.  Mrs.  Sands  still  lives,  the  last  of  her 
family. 

Another  child  of  Andrew  Hodge,  the  second,  and  Nancy  Hodge, 
Avas  Andrew,  the  second  Andrew  of  this  family.  He  was  born  in  1797. 
He  was  educated,  like  his  brothers,  in  Mr.  Ealston's  counting-house, 
made  two  or  three  voyages  to  Canton,  and  afterwards  settled  as  a 
merchant  in  New  Orleans,  where  he  acquired  a  large  property,  becom- 
ing an  extensive  land-owner  in  Louisiana,  Texas,  Arkansas  and 
Mississippi.  He  also  became  very  influential  as  President  of  the 
Bank  of  New  Orleans.  He  became  involved  in  the  pecuniary  troubles 
of  1835  and  1836  and  1837,  etc.,  and  retired,  after  losing  most 
of  his  property,  to  a  sugar  plantation  on  one  of  the  bayous  of 
Louisiana.  Here  he  so  far  succeeded  as  not  only  to  support  himself, 
but  to  leave  a  small  property  at  his  death,  which  occurred  in  1857, 
when  he  was  in  his  sixtieth  year. 

The  last  child  of  Andrew  Hodge,  the  second,  and  Nancy  Hodge, 
was  Austin.  He  had  the  misfortune  to  be  afflicted  with  curvature  of 
the  spine,  accompanied  by  large  abscesses,  seriously  threatening  his 
life  until  he  was  sixteen  years  of  age,  when  he  recovered  with  the 
usual  deformity.  The  disease  existed  in  the  lumbar  vertebrse.  He 
attended  somewhat  to  mercantile  business,  and  spent  some  years  in 
Marseilles  with  his  brother  John.  In  course  of  time  he  returned  to 
America,  and  died  m  the  city  of  New  York  of  consumption,  when  he 
was  about  twenty-eight  years  of  age. 

The  next  child  of  An^Jtrew  Hodge,  the  first,  and  Jane  McCulloch, 
was  Hugh  Hodge.  He  was  their  sixth  child.  His  birth  occurred  in 
1755.  Ho  received  a  classical  education,  entered  Princeton  College 
as  a  student,  and  was  graduated  in  1773.  He  was  among  the 
original  members  of  the  literary  society  at  Princeton,  known  as  the 
American  Whig  Society.  His  diploma  from  this  society  is  now  in 
the  hands  of  his  son,  and  is  probably  one  of  the  very  few  extant. 


FAMILY  HISTORY  AND  KEMINISCENCES.  17 

Immediately  after  his  graduation  at  Princeton  he  conmienced  the 
study  of  medicine  as  the  pupil  of  the  then  eminent  physician,  Dr. 
Cadwalader.  On  the  breaking  out  of  the  War  in  1775  his  medical 
studies  were  prematurely  arrested;  nevertheless  he  sustained  an 
examination  and  was  admitted  as  a  surgeon  in  the  Army.* 

He  was  captured  by  the  British  at  Fort  Washington,  N,  Y.,  but, 
through  the  interposition  of  General  Washingion,  he  was  liberated  on 
parole.  Circumstances  then  compelled  him  to  enter  into  mercantile 
business  with  his  brother  Andrew.  He  again,  however,  returned  to  the 
practice  of  medicine;  and,  about  the  year  1789,  he  became  acquainted 
with  Miss  Mary  Blanchard,  of  Boston,  with  whom  he  became  united 
in  marriage  in  1790. ■!■ 

He  speedily  obtained  an  influential  practice  in  the  city,  and  had 
a  prominent  part  to  play  during  the  terrible  epidemic  of  yellow  fever 
in  1793,  and  again  in  1795.  His  constitution  became  impaired  by 
the  exposure  which  was  incident  to  his  labors  on  these  occasions,  and 
he  suffered  from  frequent  attacks  of  jaundice  and  other  lymphatic 
complaints.  Under  their  influence  his  strength  failed,  and  he  died 
on  the  14th  of  July,  1798,  at  the  age  of  forty-three  years.  He  left 
his  widow  with  two  children.  His  first  child,  a  daughter,  was  the 
first  victim  of  yellow  fever  in  1793.  His  second  daughter  and  a 
young  son  also  died  in  1795. 

The  accounts  of  the  yellow  fever  as  it  prevailed  through  the  winter 
of  1793  are  most  terrible.  The  extreme  temperature  exceeded  every- 
thing remembered  by  the  oldest  inliabitant. 

"Great  flocks  of  pigeons  flew  daily  over  the  city,  so  numerous  in 
their  flight  as  to  obscure  the  sun.  They  were  shot  from  numerous 
high  houses,  and  the  markets  were  crammed  with  them.  They 
generally  had  nothing  in  their  craw  besides  a  single  acorn.  The 
superstitious  found  out  that  they  presaged  some  evil,  and,  sure 
enough,  sickness  and  death  came."  Think  of  a  desolation  that  shut 
up  nearly  all  of  the  churches.  The  pastors  generally  fled,  and  their 
congregations  were  scattered.  The  few  that  still  remained  assembled 
in  small  circles  fox  religious   exercises;  not,  however,  without  just 

*"In  Committee  of  Safety,  Philadelphia,  February  7th,  1776,  Dr.  Hugh  Hodge,  having 
been  examined  by  the  surgeons  and  physicians  appointed  for  that  purpose,  was  recom- 
mended by  them  as  a  proper  person  to  be  appointed  surgeon  to  a  l)attalion,  therefore. 
Resolved,  That  the  said  Hugh  Hodge  be  appointed  surgeon  to  the  third  battalion  of 
troops  to  be  raised." 

"December  2nd,  1776.  Resolved,  That  Mr.  Joseph  Redman,  Jr.,  be  appointed  Sur- 
geon, and  Mr.  Hugh  Hodge,  Jr.,  Surgeon's  mate  to  Colonel  Bayard's  Battalion  of 
Militia  of  the  City  of  Philadelphia." 

tin  1793  Dr.  Hugh  Hodge  was  made  a  member  of  the  College  of  Physicians. 
2 


18  FAMILY  HISTORY  AND  EEMIKISCENCES. 

fears  that  their  assembling  might  communicate  the  disease  from  one 
to  the  other.  Xo  light  and  careless  hearers  there  appeared,  and  there 
was  no  flippant  preaching  to  indulge  itching  ears.  All  was  solemn 
and  impressive.  A  feeling  possessed  the  minds  of  the  little  congrega- 
tion that  they  would  not  all  meet  again  on  a  like  occasion.  Death, 
judgment  and  eternity  occupied  the  attention  of  all  who  assembled. 
Look  which  way  you  would  through  the  streets  and  you  saw  the 
exposed  coffins  on  chair-wheels,  either  in  quick  motion  or  waiting  to 
be  taken.  The  graves  were  not  dug  singly,  but  in  pits,  which  might 
receive  many.  Men  saluted  each  other  as  if  doubting  to  be  met 
again.     Such  was  the  greatness  of  the  calamity  at  this  time. 

What  is  now  Washingion  Square,  on  Walnut  Street,  between  Sixth 
and  Seventh,  was  a  Potter's  Field,  and  its  "final  Golgotha"  was  after 
the  yellow  fever  of  1795.  Then  the  City  Councils  forbade  further 
interment,  but  not  until  1815  was  it  made  into  the  beautiful  square 
as  we  now  see  it. 

During  the  fearful  epidemic  described  alcove,  Dr.  Hugh  Hodge  and 
his  family  lived  in  their  accustomed  place  in  Water  Street.  In  this 
locality  dwelt  all  the  householders  of  Front,  Water  and  the  side 
streets  up  a  short  distance  westward.  The  merchants  of  those  days 
lived  under  the  same  roof  with  their  stores,  as  in  Holland  now. 
After  1793  people  began  to  change  their  domiciles  from  the  water 
side;  and  it  may  give  an  idea  of  the  change  to  state  that,  "when  Mr. 
Markoe  built  his  large  double  house  out  High,  now  Market  Street, 
between  Ninth  and  Tenth,  in  the  front  centre  of  a  fenced  meadow, 
it  was  so  remote  from  all  city  intercourse  that  it  was  a  jest  among 
his  friends  to  say  that  he  lived  on  High  Street  next  door  but  one 
to  the  Schuylkill  Ferry."  In  Front  Street,  adjoining  to  Elfreth's  Alley, 
were  Callendcr's  grand  houses.  Then,  four  doors  above,  came  Wain's 
double  house.  Opposite  was  Drinker's,  and  at  the  corner  of  Drinker's 
Alley,  next  door  northward,  stood  Henry  Pratt's  house.  Next  door  to 
this  was  Dr.  Hodge's,  with  Hodge's  wharf  running  out  directly  in 
front.  A  few  years  later,  in  179G-98,  Mr.  Morris  purchased  the 
whole  square  extending  from  Chestnut  to  Walnut,  and  from  Seventh 
to  Eighth,  for  £10,000;  a  great  su]n  for  what,  until  then,  had  been 
the  capital.     It  was  used  by  the  Norris  family  as  a  pasture-ground. 

Its  original  elevation  was  from  twelve  to  fifteen  feet  above  the 
present  elevation  of  the  adjacent  streets.  With  such  an  extent  of 
high  ground  in  ornamental  cultivation,  surrounding  what  was  virtually 
a  palace  fronting  on   Chestnut   Street,  luunan  grandeur  must  have 


FAMILY  HISTORY  AND  REMINISCENCES.  19 

achieved  a  signal  effect.  Immense  sums  of  money  were  expended. 
Arches,  vaults  and  labyrintlis  were  numerous.  The  house  exhibited 
four  sides  of  entire  marble  surface,  and  much  of  the  ornamentation 
was  in  expensive  relief.  He  had  provided,  by  importation  and  other- 
wise, the  most  costly  furniture,  all  of  which,  in  time,  together  with 
the  marble  mansion  itself,  had  to  be  abandoned  to  his  creditors,  who, 
by  slow  and  patient  labor,  pulled  it  down.  Some  of  the  underground 
labyrinths  were  so  deep  and  massive  as  to  have  been  left  as  they  were, 
and  in  some  future  age  may  be  discovered  to  the  great  perplexity  of 
the  quid  nuncs.*  The  materials  thus  taken  down  were  sold  in  lots; 
and  the  square,  being  divided  into  building-lots,  and  sold,  much  of 
the  material  was  brought  into  use. 

Mr.  William  Sansom  soon  procured  the  erection  of  his  "row"  on 
Walnut  Street,  and  many  houses  also  on  Sansom  Street.     Thus,  by 
building  ranges  of  houses  similar  in  appearance,  a  uniformity  was 
produced,  often  since  imitated,  but  never  before  attempted  in  our  city.' 
Near  the  northwest  corner  of  Sixth  and  Walnut   Streets  was  a 
little  ice-pond  for  skaters.     On  the  southeast  corner  of  Seventh  and 
Chestnut  Streets,  where  Wain's  house  was  afterwards  erected,  stood 
an  old  red-painted  frame  house,  looking  strangely  to  the  eye  by  being 
elevated  at  its  ground  floor  fully  fifteen  feet  higher  than  the  common 
level  of  the  street.    On  the  northwest  corner  of  Seventh  and  Chestnut 
Streets  was  a  high  grass  lot,  enclosed  by  a  rail  fence,  extending  half- 
way to  Eighth  Street.     Except  one  or  two  brick  houses  at  the  comer 
of  Eighth  Street,  you  met  not  another  house  this  side  of  the  Schuylkill. 
In  1790,  the  year  of  Dr.  Hugh  Hodge's  marriage,  John  Nancarro,  a 
Scotchman,   had  a  furnace  under  ground  for  converting  iron  into 
steel.    It  stood  at  the  northwest  corner  of  Ninth  and  Walnut  Streets. 
There  was  also  a  furnace  above  ground  at  the  northwest  corner  of 
Eighth  and  Walnut  Streets,  having  a  large  chimney  tapering  to  the 
top.     There  a  curious  fact  occurred,  which,  but  for  this  record,  might 
puzzle  antiquaries  at  some  future  day ;  raising  in  their  minds,  perhaps, 
the  question  whether  the  aborigines  had  not  understood  the  art  of 
fusing  iron.     The  fact  was  this :    A  great  mass  of  five  tons  of  iron 
bars,  which  was  in  the  furnace,  was  suddenly  converted  into  a  huge 
rock  of  steel  by  reason  of  a  fissure  in  the  furnace,  which  let  in  the  air 
and  consumed  the  charcoal,  whereby  the  whole  ran  into  steel  equal 
to  four  or  five  tons.     Some  houses  of  very  shallow  cellars  have  since 
been  erected  over  the  place,  and  all  are  quite  unconscious  of  the 

*See  "Life  of  Robert  Morris,"  Desilver,   PubUsher,  1841. 
tFather  afterwards  mentions  living  "in  Sansom's  Row." 


20  FAMILY  HISTORY  AND  REMINISCENCES. 

treasure  -wliich  rests  beneath.  It  was  an  open  lot  when  so  used  by 
Xancarrc* 

In  1800  the  names  of  the  streets  were  changed.  Eor  example, 
"Bloody  Lane/*'  so  called  because  a  murder  had  been  committed  there, 
was  changed  to  "JSToble  Street;"  "Garden  Alley"  was  changed  to 
"Coombs  Alley/'  as  Mr.  Coombs  was  a  tenant  on  the  Front  Street 
corner;  "Cedar  Street"  was  changed  to  "South,"  because  it  was  the 
southern  limit  of  the  city;  "Sassafras"  was  changed  to  "Eace,"  because 
it  was  once  the  road  to  the  races  out  there;  "Mulberry"  was  called 
"Arch,"  because  of  an  arch  or  bridge  across  that  street  at  Front 
Street;  "High  Street,"  which  had  been  so  named  because  it  was  the 
highest  elevation  from  the  river,  was  changed  to  "Market,"  because 
the  markets  were  there.  "King  Street"  was  changed  to  "Water," 
because  of  its  nearness  to  the  Delaware  Eiver;  "Valley  Street,"  which 
had  been  so  named  because  of  its  situation  between  two  hills,  was 
changed  to  "Vine;"  "Wynn  Street,"  named  for  Thomas  Wynn,  was 
changed  to  Chestnut;  "Pool  Street,"  so  named  as  leading  to  Dock 
Street  water,  was  changed  to  "Walnut."" 

Dr.  Hodge's  two  sons,  Hugh  Lenox  and  Charles,  were  left  in  early 
infancy  to  a  widowed  mother,  and  with  slender  means  of  support. 
This  intellectual  and  gifted  woman  was,  however,  equal  to  the 
emergency.  By  untiring  energy  and  self-abnegation  she  not  only 
contributed  to  the  necessities  of  her  children,  but  secured  to  them  a 
good  classical  education,  and  they  completed  a  full  course  of  instruc- 
tion in  the  College  of  New  Jersey. 

She  came  to  Philadelphia  with  her  brother  John,  it  is 
possible  as  early  as  1785,  when  she  was  about  twenty  years 
of  age.  She  was  introduced  to  our  family  by  letters  to  my  uncle. 
Colonel  Hodgdon,  and  thus  it  was  that  she  became  acquainted  with 
my  father,  who  was  then  engaged  in  mercantile  business  with  his 
Ijrother  Andrew  Hodge;  a  business  which  proved  unfortunate,  and 
a  cause  of  delay  in  the  marriage  of  my  parents.  Indeed,  my  father 
was  occasionally  absent  from  Philadelphia,  going  sometimes  to  the 
West  Indies.  My  mother's  situation  was  probably  very  lonely,  for 
father,  in  a  letter  to  his  sister,  Mary  Hodge  (afterwards  Mrs.  Hodg- 
don), urges  with  much  feeling  that  she  should  be  as  attentive  as 

♦Watson's  Annals  of  PhilRdelphifi,  Vol.   ii,  page  426. 
tWhatever  changes  were  made  in  1800  In  the  names  of  streets,   there  nevertheless 
remained  on  the  signs  for  more  than  half  a  century  afterwards   such   old  names   as 
•High  St.,"  "Mulberry  St.,"  Sassafras  St.,"  as  I  very  well  remember.— E.  B.  H. 


FAMILY  HISTORY  AND  REMINISCENCES.  21 

possible  to  Miss  Blanchard.  At  this  juncture  of  affairs  my  grand- 
father, Mr.  Andrew  Hodge,  died,  and  my  father  then  determined  to 
resume  his  profession,  and  was  married  in  1790  by  the  Eev.  Dr. 
Ashbel  Green.  My  father  was  then  about  thirty-five  years  of  age, 
and  my  mother  twenty-five.  They  went  to  housekeeping  in  Water 
Street,  below  Eace,  next  door  south  of  Mr.  Henry  Pratt's  house 
and  stores.  My  grandfather,  Andrew  Hodge,  owned  three  buildings 
on  the  east  side  of  Water  Street,  bounded  on  the  east  by  what  is  now 
termed  Delaware  Avenue.  The  wharf  and  dock  in  the  rear  of  the  houses 
were  also  in  his  possession,  and  went  by  his  name  until  near  1840. 
The  most  southern  of  the  three  houses  my  grandfather  and  grand- 
mother lived  and  died  in,  and  by  his  will  my  grandfather  left  it 
to  his  son  Andrew.  The  northern  house,  which  my  father  lived  in, 
was  owned  by  Captain  James  Hodge,  his  brother.  The  building 
between  was  a  large  store,  and  became  the  property  of  my  father. 
My  uncle  Andrew  occupied  the  family  house  after  the  death  of  his 
father  Andrew.  At  this  time  Philadelphia  was  very  small,  and  a 
large  number  of  wealthy  and  influential  families  still  had  their  resi- 
dences in  Water  Street,  which  was  narrow  and  in  every  way  dis- 
agreeable. 

My  father  was  very  much  favored,  and  soon  obtained  a  most 
excellent  practice.  I  have  often  heard  my  aunt  Mary  Hodgdon 
speak  of  his  fine  appearance  and  pleasant  manners,  so  that  he  became 
a  favorite  with  his  patients,  many  of  whom  were  members  of  the 
Society  of  Friends,  then  so  numerous  in  Philadelphia.  .The  late 
Mr.  Thomas  Biddle,  who  died  a  few  years  ago,  confirmed  this  account 
to  me,  saying  that  he  had  a  strong  recollection  of  my  grandfather  as 
well  as  of  my  family.  In  1866  I  had  the  pleasure  of  meeting  Mr.  Jona- 
than Meredith,  whose  early  life  was  passed  in  Philadelphia,  but  who 
lived  later  in  Baltimore,  where  he  died  in  February  of  this  year  (1872) 
at  the  age  of  eighty-nine.  He  al>50  had  a  distinct  remembrance  of  my 
father,  who  was  family  physician  to  his  parents  then  residing  in  this 
city.  He  often  trundled  his  hoop  as  he  carried  messages  to  my  father's 
ofiice. 

In  1791  my  mother's  first  child  was  born.  It  was  a  daughter,  and 
was  called  Elizabeth.  She  was  a  healthy,  promising  child,  but  was 
suddenly  taken  sick  in  August,  1793.  The  s}anptoms  of  her  disease 
were  novel  and  peculiar ;  so  much  so  indeed  that  Dr.  Benjamin  Eush, 
who  was  called  in  consultation,  thought  it  might  be  hydrocephalus.  It 
proved,  however,  to  be  yellow  fever,  of  which  she  became  the  first 


22  FAMILY  HISTOHY  AND  llEMINISCEXCES. 

victim  in  the  terrible  epidemic  which  then  commenced  in  this  city. 
Various  suggestions  have  been  made  as  to  the  origin  of  the  pestilence. 
It  may  be  well,  therefore,  to  state  that  my  mother  has  told  me  that 
the  children  of  different  families  were  accustomed  to  play  in  a  store 
belonging  to  Colonel  Hodgdon  on  the  wharf,  a  few  doors  south  of 
our  residence.  At  this  wharf  a  vessel  had  lately  arrived  from  the 
West  Indies,  and  had  discharged  upon  the  premises  a  large  quantity 
of  damaged  coffee,  the  effluvia  of  which  was  very  unpleasant.  The 
disease  spread  in  every  direction.  My  sister's  nurse,  a  hand- 
some, healthy  young  girl  from  Wilmington,  died.  My  father 
and  mother  did  not  take  it  immediately,  but  subsequently  had  it  in 
a  moderate  degree.  Indeed  very  few  families  escaped  entirely,  and 
very  many  valuable  members  of  society  perished;  among  others  Dr. 
Hutchinson,  a  friend  of  my  father's,  and  grandfather  of  the  present 
Dr.  Hutchinson,  of  Philadelphia.  My  father  had  seen  the  so-called 
yellow  fever  in  the  West  Indies,  but  thought  that  the  disease  in 
Philadelphia  was  of  a  different  type.  This  was  the  opinion  also  of 
the  late  Dr.  Mongez,  a  French  physician,  who  practiced  in  San 
Domingo,  in  the  West  Indies,  but  succeeded  in  escaping  from  the 
terrible  massacre  of  the  white  inliabitants  there,  and  arrived  with  his 
friends,  Drs.  La  Eoche  and  Matthews,  about  the  middle  of  the 
epidemic  in  1793.  Dr.  Mongez  told  me  very  emphatically  that  he 
never  saw  yellow  fever  in  San  Domingo  such  as  he  observed  in 
Philadelphia.  Dr.  Mongez  and  his  confreres,  however,  profited 
much  by  their  reputation  of  having  seen  very  much  of  the  disease. 
My  mother  has  informed  me  that  in  some  highly  inflammatory  cases 
my  father  had  employed  the  lancet  prior  to  any  of  his  contemporaries, 
and  before  Dr.  Push  had  recommended  this  agent.  It  is  well  known 
that  Dr.  Rush  l)ecame  the  great  advocate  for  the  lancet  in  almost 
every  period.  He  became  famous  also  for  his  powders,  consisting  of 
ten  grains  of  calomel  and  ten  grains  of  powdered  jalap,  which  was 
so  frequently  given  that  they  received  the  cognomen  of  Dr.  Rush's 
"ten  pound  ten." 

My  mother's  second  child,  Mar}^,  was  born  in  1792,  and  her 
third  child,  Hugh,  in  1794.  Wlien  the  latter  was  about  a  year  old,  my 
mother,  after  an  absence  of  many  years,  paid  a  visit  to  her  home  in 
Boston.  Unfortunately,  Mary  was  soon  afterwards  taken  sick  with 
the  measles.  Of  this  circumstance  she  was  informed  by  an  excellent 
letter  written  by  my  father.  She  immediately  left  Boston  in  the  mail 
stage,  and  after  travelling  three  days  and  three  nights,  arrived  at 


FAMILY  PIISTORY  AND  KEillNISCEXCES.  23 

her  home,  to  find,  not  only  that  ]\Iary  was  dead,  bnt  that  Hugh  also  had 
died  of  measles,  so  that  she  was  again  childless.* 

My  father's  health  also  was  beginning  to  suffer,  for,  although  not 
disabled,  he  had  frequent  bilious  attacks  with  s3^mptoms  of  jaundice. 
Still,  however,  he  pursued  his  avocations,  although  with  less  spirit 
and  energy  on  account  of  the  debilitating  infiuence  of  these  com- 
plaints. 

Their  fourth  child,  Hugh  Lenox,  was  born  on  the  27th  of  June, 
1796.  The  next  year  my  father  was  persuaded  to  move  from  Water 
Street,  which  since  the  fever  of  1793  had  become  deserted  and  given 
up  to  business  purposes.  He  took  a  house  on  Arch  Street,  above 
Fourth,  which  belonged  to  Mr.  Thos.  Stewartson,  who  was  his  next  door 
neighbor  on  the  east.  The  house  was  the  third  door  from  Christ 
Church  burying-ground.  The  most  easterly  house  was  occupied  by 
Mr.  Sansoni  and  the  next  by  Dr.  Magaw,  an  elderly  clergyman  of 
the  Episcopal  Church,  and  at  that  time  quite  an  invalid.  With  these 
families  we  became  intimately  associated,  and  of  my  early  days  in  that 
neighborhood  I  have  pleasant  recollections.  Two  doors  to  the  east  of 
us  lived  also  Mr.  Edward  Thompson  and  his  wife,  with  whom  also 
an  intimacy  ensued,  and  they  were  very  kind  to  me.  Mr.  Thompson 
became  a  wealthy  tea  merchant.  He  was  the  father  of  John  Thompson 
and  of  Mrs.  Joseph  Xorris  and  Miss  Addie  Thompson;  both  of  these 
daughters  being  now  living.  The  eldest  son  died  in  early  manhoorl. 
John,  who  married  a  Miss  Stockton,  in  Princeton,  became  a  Senator 
of  the  United  States  from  Xew  Jersey.     He  died  a  few  years  ago. 

Directly  opposite  to  us  on  Arch  Street  lived  Samuel  Hazard  and 
his  wife,  who  were  intimate  friends  of  our  family.  Mr.  Hazard  was 
an  excellent  and  influential  man,  and  given  up  to  literary  pursuits. 
He  was  an  elder  in  the  Second  Presbyterian  Church.  His  daugh- 
ter, Betsy,  married  a  Mr.  A^ermilye,  afterwards  the  Eev,  Mr. 
Vermilye,  the  associate  pastor  of  the  Eeformed  Dutch  Church,  in 
New  York.     Samuel  Hazard,  the  eldest  son,  died  in  Germantown,  in 

'-Gi  the  death  of  this  child  there  is  an  aUusion  in  a  letter  which  Mrs.  Blanchard 
writcp  to  her  sister,  Mary's  mother,  dated  Wenham,  October,  1815.  Speaking  of  the 
less  of  her  own  daughter,  Lucy,  she  says:— "I  used  to  tell  her  of  what  you  were 
called  on  to  sufffer,  and  a  kind  of  sympathetic  scene  occurred  while  here  we  passed 
those  sultry  days  which  seemed  to  Increase  your  gloom.  Lucy  was  sporting  before 
us,  and,  as  was  her  wont,  recalled  the  parting  looks  of  your  little  Mary.  You  said 
that,  when  you  were  setting  out,  she  followed  you  to  the  door,  and,  though  not  used 
to  cry  at  parting,  and  not  aware  of  so  long  an  absence,  yet  so  it  was  that  the  tears 
came  into  her  eyes  as  she  stood  in  the  passage  holding  the  little  clean  slip  which  to 
her,  and  to  her  cousin  Lucy,  was  a  cure  for  common  sorrows.  I  often  related  this  tender 
scene,  even  while  we  supposed  your  children  were  living,  and,  having  heard  of  the 
sad  event,  I  thought  your  cup  must  be  full  of  bitterness." 


24  TAMILY  HISTORY  AND  REMINISCENCES. 

his  eight3--sixth  jear.  His  second  son,  Erskine  Hazard,  was  a  partner 
of  Mr.  "\Miite,  and  they  were  pioneers  in  the  coal  business;  being  the 
first  to  open  the  coal  mines  in  Mauch  Chunk.  Erskine  Hazard  died 
some  years  ago.  His  widow  still  lives  in  the  city,  and  there  is  a 
son,  who  is  engaged  in  the  iron  business. 

^ly  brother,  Charles  Hodge,  was  born  December  27th,  1797.  Old 
Mrs.  Hannah  Hodge  always  inquired  for  that  strange-named  child, 
Charles,  as  it  was  a  new  name  in  the  family  record. 

My  father's  health  continued  to  decline,  and  the  following  June, 
1798,  he  became  seriously  ill,  and  on  the  14th  of  July,  after  great 
suffering,  he  died.  His  death  was  chiefl}^  owing  to  inflammation  and 
spasms,  excited  by  biliary  calculi.  My  mother  was  thus  left  a  widow 
with  two  infant  children  and  with  small  resources.  Colonel  Hodgdon 
became  the  administrator  of  my  father's  propertj^  which,  however, 
amounted  to  little  more  than  a  few  professional  fees. 

By  my  grandfather's  will  my  father.  Dr.  Hodge,  was  virtually 
entitled  to  the  income  from  the  store  on  Water  Street,  one-third  of  the 
proceeds  of  the  wharf  and  one-third  of  the  country  residence  on  Mud 
Lane,  now  Montgomery  Avenue,  and  also  one-third,  or  one-half,  of  the 
house  and  grounds  on  Frankford  Turnpike,  not  far  from  the  toll-gate. 
The  management  of  this  property  was  in  the  hands  chiefly  of  the 
administrator,  Colonel  Hodgdon,  but  part  of  it  was  in  the  hands  of  my 
uncle,  Mr.  Andrew  Hodge.  The  property  in  the  country  brought  no 
income  of  any  consequence.  The  rent  of  the  stores  and  wharf 
amounted  to  a  moderate  sum  at  the  time  of  the  death  of  my  father, 
and  for  a  few  years  afterwards,  until  the  commencement  of  the 
troubles  with  Great  Britain,  when  they  were  diminished,  and  in  time 
destroyed,  by  the  non-intercourse  and  embargo  laws,  and  afterwards 
by  the  War  of  1812.  The  flrst  year  after  my  father's  death  his 
widow  remained  at  housekeeping,  but  was  fortunate  in  having  the 
assistance  and  companionship  of  two  young  ladies,  nieces  of  my 
father.  Miss  Margaret  Bayard,  afterwards  Mrs.  Harrison  Smith,  of 
Washington,  and  Miss  Anna  Maria  Bayard,  afterwards  Mrs.  Samuel 
Boyd,  of  New  York. 

Mother  later  rented  the  front  room  in  the  second  story  of  her  house 
to  the  Eev.  Jacob  J.  Janeway,  then  lately  installed  as  collegiate  pastor 
of  the  Second  Presbyterian  Church  with  Dr.  Green.  In  the  fall  of 
1799  my  mother  sold  most  of  her  furniture,  and  my  uncle,  Mr. 
Andrew  Hodge,  with  his  wife  and  children,  took  possession  of  the 
house,  my  iiiotlicr  reserving  the  front  room  in  the  third  story  for 


FAMILY  HISTORY  AND  REMINISCENCES.  25 

herself  and  her  boys.  This  arrangement  continued  very  satisfactorily 
until  the  fall  of  1803;  the  previous  winter  of  1802-03  having 
been  passed  in  Norfolk,  Va.,  with  our  uncle  Thomas  Blanchard, 
and  the  summer  at  Wenham,  Mass.,  with  our  uncle,  Mr.  Samuel 
Blanchard.  On  her  return  mother  took  a  house  at  the  north- 
west corner  of  Eighth  and  Arch  Streets.  The  building  ?till  remains, 
although  converted  into  a  grocery  store.  This  winter,  or  the  winter 
succeeding,  mother  received  as  an  inmate  our  cousin,  Jane  Bayard, 
the  only  daughter  of  John  Murray  Bayard,  and  afterwards  wife  of 
Dr.  Alexander  Stevens,  of  New  York.  At  this  time  we  boys  began  to 
go  to  school,  first  to  a  school  for  boys  and  girls;  and  somewhat  later 
I  went  to  a  school  taught  by  a  Mr.  Getty,  on  the  north  side  of  Arch 
Street,  between  Front  and  Second  Streets.  I  have  a  vivid  recollec- 
tion of  breasting  many  a  northwest  wind,  and  often  a  northeast  storm 
in  my  trips  to  school  twice  a  day.  My  mother,  although  thus  devoted 
to  the  support  and  education  of  her  children,  became  interested  in 
the  welfare  of  others.  She,  with  the  first  Mrs.  Robert  Smith,  daughter 
of  Mrs.  Ehea,  and  Miss  Olivia  Sproat,  the  daughter  of  old  Dr.  Sproat, 
pastor  of  the  Second  Presb5i;erian  Church,  were  among  the  founders 
of  one  of  the  earliest  benevolent  institutions  of  this  city,  institutions 
which  have  since  so  greatly  multiplied.  The  society  was  termed  the 
^'^Female  Association,"  for  the  relief  of  widows  and  single  women  in 
reduced  circumstances,  of  whom  there  are  always  a  great  number;  the 
death  of  friends  and  relatives  leaving  them,  after  lives  of  comfort, 
with  slender  means  of  support.  My  mother  was  very  zealous  in  this 
work,  taking  an  active  part  in  every  effort.  One  of  these  efforts  I 
remember  well,  when  she  insisted  upon  having  a  small  building 
arranged  for  making  soup  upon  a  large  scale,  where  also  groceries 
and  other  necessary  articles  were  collected  at  wholesale  prices  and  sold 
at  cost,  or  distributed  freely  to  the  destitute.  My  mother  often  per- 
sonally attended  to  the  distribution  of  these  provisions.  I  remember 
trudging  with  her  through  snow-paths  many  squares  to  this  building, 
which  was  imperfectly  warmed,  to  spend  an  hour  or  two  in  these 
useful  and  self-denying  labors. 

This  society  has  adopted  other  measures  since  that  time,  and  now 
labors  on,  after  seventy-three  years  of  good  works,  a  benevolent  and 
successful  enterprise ;  all  of  the  founders  having  gone  to  their  reward. 

In  1805  my  mother  moved  to  No.  22  Sansom  Street,  half-way 
between  Seventh  and  Eighth,  on  the  south  side,  a  house  recently 
built.      It   was   a   very   comfortable   and   pleasant    dwelling,   with   a 


2B  FAMILY  HISTORY  AND  REMINISCENCES. 

southern  exposure  to  tlie  yard,  and  with  a  row  of  poplar  trees 
intervening  between  the  houses  in  Sansom  Street  and  those  in  Walnut 
Street.  The  yard  was  a  convenient  one,  and  my  mother  adorned 
it  with  grass  and  flowers.  The  house,  with  its  office  front,  was  built 
in  what  is  now  considered  an  old-fashioned  manner.  There  was  one 
stair-case,  running  up  between  the  front  and  l)ack  rooms,  so  that  all 
the  rooms  in  the  house,  except  the  front  parlor,  occupied  the  whole 
width  of  the  house.  There  was  a  basement  kitchen  and  a  cellar.  In 
this  home  several  happy  years  were  spent. 

I  commenced  my  classical  studies  at  the  Grammar  School  of  the 
University  of  Pennsylvania,  under  the  care  of  ]\Ir.  Thompson,  who 
had  for  his  assistant  the  Rev.  Mr.  Wylie,  afterwards  a  doctor  of 
divinity  and  a  professor  of  languages.  Mr.  Thompson  was  also  him- 
self advanced  in  time  to  the  dignity  of  a  professor's  chair.  The 
school  was  held  in  a  large  and  handsome  building,  which  had  been 
erected  for  President  Washingion  by  the  State  of  Pennsylvania  during 
the  sessions  of  Congress  in  Philadelphia.  The  President,  however, 
never  occupied  the  house,  for  the  reason  that,  before  its  completion,  the 
seat  of  government  was  moved  to  Washington  in  the  District  of 
Columbia.  The  site  of  this  building  is  the  same  as  that  now  occupied 
by  the  University  buildings  on  Ninth  Street,  below  Market.  This 
was  an  interesting  portion  of  my  life,  for  I  was  not  only  imbibing 
the  first  rudiments  of  classical  learning,  but  forming  those  intimate 
associations  with  other  boys,  which  often  tend  for  weal  or  woe  in 
after-life.  Providentially  my  associates  were  pleasant,  and  many  of 
my  boyish  companions  have  since  occupied  some  of  the  highest  stations 
in  the  professions,  and  also  in  the  government  of  the  country.  I  may 
mention  among  the  acquaintances  which  have  been  perpetuated  for 
years  those  formed  with  the  Hopkinsons,  Darrachs,  Biddies,  Merediths, 
Ingersolls,  Hays,  Gratz,  Lewises,  et  al.  A  large  number  of  these  are 
dead.  Some,  however,  still  survive,  and  have  passed  their  three-score 
years  and  ten.  My  brother  Charles  went  to  school  to  a  Mr.  Johnson, 
a  very  bright,  social  and  enthusiastic  Englishman,  who  made  the  boys 
regard  him  as  a  friend  and  companion  rather  than  simply  as  a  pre- 
ceptor. My  brother  was  a  great  favorite  with  him.  He  contracted, 
as  was  his  uniform  custom  throughout  life,  intimate  friendships. 
Among  others  whom  he  made  his  friends  at  this  time  were  Mont- 
gomery Dale,  Polx-rt  Griffith,  brother  of  the  present  Mr.  Edward 
Coleman,  and  Louis  Turnbull,  afterwards  Chief  Engineer  of  the 
United  States  Military  Burea\i,  and  serving  with  General  Scott  in  the 


FAMILY  HISTORY  AND  REMINISCENCES.  27 

Mexican  War.  I  also  became  intimate  with  these  same  young  men, 
as  well  as  their  teacher,  Mr.  Johnson.  When  we  were  still  quite 
young  Mr.  Johnson  obtained  permission  to  take  several  of  us  on  an 
excursion  in  the  summer  season  to  Baltimore  and  Washington.  Such 
an  expedition  was  to  any  one  a  great  exertion  in  those  days  when 
there  were  no  canals  and  no  railroads.  We  left  Philadelphia  in  a  sloop 
for  Xew  Castle  and  then  crossed  the  Delaware  isthmus  to  Elkton  on 
the  Chesapeake.  Thence  we  went  by  vessel  to  Baltimore;  a  journey 
which  consumed  no  Httle  time.  Baltimore  was  then  very  small, 
occupying  merely  what  is  now  called  Lower  Baltimore,  and  consisted 
only  of  a  few  narrow  streets  on  the  Bay.  All  the  top  of  the  hill, 
now  ornamented  by  beautiful  houses  and  a  fine  monument  commemor- 
ating the  repulse  of  the  British,  was  a  handsome  park  owned  by  Mr. 
Howard.  Washington  was  then  quite  new  as  a  city,  and  it  was  a 
dreary  place,  notwithstanding  the  existence  of  the  White  House  and 
the  first  Capitol,  which  was  destroyed  by  British  soldiers.  A  few 
small  brick  houses  on  broad  avenues  remain  impressed  on  my  memory. 
I  paid  a  visit  to  my  cousin,  Mrs.  Harrison  Smith,  who  had  been 
married  and  had  lived  in  Washington  since  1800 ;  her  husband  being 
the  founder  and  editor  of  the  National  IntelUgeiicer. 

My  mother,  on  moving  to  Sansom  Street,  to  assist  her  income,  took 
as  inmates  Mrs.  Ehea,  and  also  her  daughter,  Mrs.  Higginson.  Mrs. 
Ehea  was  then  quite  old.  She  was  the  mother  of  the  first  Mrs.  Eobert 
Smith,  to  whom  we  have  above  alluded.  Mrs.  Ehea's  daughter,  who 
had  married  a  Mr.  Higginson,  of  Boston,  was  now  a  widow,  devoting 
herself  to  the  care  of  her  aged  parent.  She  was  remarkably  cheerful 
and  pleasant  as  a  companion,  and  very  intelligent.  As  she  had 
many  friends  in  Boston,  my  mother  and  she  had  common  sympathies 
and  acquaintances;  hence  our  home  was  very  pleasant,  and  probably 
the  happiest  portion  of  my  mother's  life  were  those  few  years  spent 
in  Sansom  Street,  where  she  had  much  social  intercourse  and  many 
excellent  friends,  Avhose  number  was  enlarged  by  her  connection  with 
the  Female  Association,  the  members  of  which  met  often  at  our 
house.  The  secretary  of  the  association  at  this  time  .was  Miss  Gratz, 
then  a  young  lady,  a  Jewess,  who  always  lived  in  strict  conformity  to 
her  profession,  but  who,  nevertheless  associated  intimately  with  her 
Christian  friends.  She  became,  afterwards,  I  think,  the  first  secretary 
of  the  Philadelphia  Orphan  Asylum,  a  position  which  she  retained 
for  nearly  fifty  years.  She  was  exceedingly  dignified  in  her  carriage 
and   deportment,  very  cultivated   and   refined,   and,   of   course,   very 


28  FAMILY  HISTORY  AND  REMINISCENCES. 

much  respected  and  beloved.  She  lived  until  about  two  years  ago,  a 
single  lady,  and  died  at  the  advanced  age  of  eighty-six  or  eighty-seven 
3^ears. 

About  a  year  after  we  were  established  in  Sansom  Street,  a 
Miss  Faires,  another  friend  of  my  mother's,  contributed  much  to  the 
social  company,  as  she  was  very  cheerful  and  pleasant,  and  had  many 
acquaintances.  She  was  not  young;  nevertheless  she  attracted  the 
attention  of  my  mother's  excellent  friend,  Mr.  Eobert  Smith,  who 
had  been  a  second  time  left  a  widower.  The  courtship  went  on  very 
easily,  and  even  to  us  boys  was  quite  amusing.  Two  of  Mr.  Smith's 
young  daughters  often  paid  visits  to  their  father.  The  eldest  was 
Mary,  who  still  lives  in  Clinton  Street,  unmarried.  The  other  was 
Ellen,  the  second  wife  of  Mr.  Griffith.  She  died  in  1870.  Her  husband 
still  lives  in  Clinton  Street.  The  consummation  by  marriage  of  this 
intimacy  between  Mr.  Smith  and  Miss  Faires  occurred  in  December, 
1807.  They  were  married  in  the  front  room  of  the  second  story  of 
our  house,  whicli  had  been  retained  as  a  parlor  and  drawing-room. 
This  was  the  first  wedding  which  I  ever  witnessed.  The  parties  drove 
off  in  a  snow-storm  to  the  residence  of  the  bride's  husband,  a  large, 
handsome  house  in  Front  Street,  below  Walnut. 

We  boys  were  now  growing  rapidly,  and  it  was  time  for  my  brother 
to  commence  his  classical  studies,  and  to  leave  his  friend  and  teacher, 
Mr.  Johnson.  The  question  became  a  subject  of  much  anxiety  to  my 
mother  how  she  could  carr}^  on  our  education,  especially  as  the  income 
from  our  grandfather's  estate  had  now  become  very  trifling  owing  to 
the  disturbance  of  our  intercourse  with  England.  Having  heard  of 
a  good  school  in  Somerville,  IST.  J.,  where  board  and  tuition  were 
moderate,  she  accepted  an  invitation  from  our  excellent  friend  and 
cousin,  Mr.  John  M.  Bayard,  the  father  of  my  cousin,  Jane  Bayard, 
to  visit  him  and  his  wife  at  their  place  on  the  Millstone  Eiver,  N.  J., 
four  miles  from  Somerville.  She  left  home  during  some  pleasant 
days  in  March,  1810,  and  had  to  travel  the  whole  way  by  stage.  This 
was  in  itself  fatiguing,  but  unfortunately  a  severe  frost  ensued  before 
her  return,  and  the  roads  were  exceedingly  rough,  so  that  the  journey 
proved  too  severe  for  her.  She  became  seriously  ill;  and,  as  her 
complaint  was  supposed  to  be  of  an  hepatic  character,  she  took 
mercury,  as  was  then  customary,  by  the  direction  of  Dr.  Wistar,  to 
insure  salivation.  Tliis  sickness  was  a  very  serious  event  for  her, 
occurring,  as  it  did,  at  this  particular  crisis  of  our  affairs.  She 
slowly  recovered,  but  her  health  had  been  impaired.     She  managed, 


FAMILY  HISTORY  AND  REMINISCENCES.  29 

however^,  to  get  her  boys  ready  for  school,  and  we  were  sent,  for 
the  first  time  in  our  lives,  away  from  the  superintendence  of  our 
devoted  parent.  I  was  hardly  fourteen,  and  my  brother  was  nearly 
twelve.  We  left  early  in  May  by  the  "Swift  Sure"  mail  coach  run- 
ning to  New  York.  This  coach  usually  occupied  one  day  in  getting 
to  Somerville,  IST.  J.,  where  the  New  York  passengers  spent  the  night, 
hoping  to  reach  their  destination  by  supper-time  the  next  day.  We 
were  detained,  however,  by  a  severe  storm,  and  did  not  arrive 
at  Somerville  until  the  next  morning.  May  10th,  1810.  After  our 
departure  mother  gradually  recovered  her  health,  and  soon  broke  up 
housekeeping.  The  following  summer  she,  with  our  cousin,  Mrs. 
Andrew  Bayard,  passed  through  Somerville  on  her  way  to  Schooley's 
Mountain,  hoping  by  this  change  of  air  to  renovate  her  strength. 
Mother  afterwards  returned  and  spent  some  weeks  with  us,  boarding 
at  a  small  hotel,  kept  by  Mr.  Meldrum.  His  daughter.  Miss  Meldrum, 
was  very  attentive  to  our  mother,  and  very  kind  to  us  children. 
Mother  returned  to  Philadelphia  for  the  winter,  and  there  took 
private  lodgings.  She  again  visited  us  in  the  summer  of  1811,  and 
spent  some  time  at  ]\Ir.  Bayard's  at  Millstone. 

She  had  the  supreme  gratification  of  living  long  enough  to  see 
both  of  her  children  married  and  settled  in  their  several  professions, 
in  which  they  occupy  important  stations.  The  younger  son,  Charles, 
entered  the  theological  seminary  at  Princeton  about  four  years  after 
its  foundation,  and  in  1821  was  ordained  a  minister  of  the  Gospel. 
In  1820  he  was  appointed  an  instructor  in  the  seminary.  In 
1822,  when  little  more  than  twenty-four  j^ears  of  age,  he  was 
appointed,  by  the  General  Assembly  of  the  Presbyterian  Church,  a 
professor  in  the  same  institution,  as  colleague  of  Dr.  Archibald 
Alexander  and  of  Samuel  Miller,  his  former  teachers;  men  who  were 
among  the  most  honored  clergymen  of  the  Presbyterian  Church. 
This  position  he  has  ever  since  occupied  with  great  credit  to  himself 
and  usefulness  to  the  seminary  and  the  Church. 

Hugh  Lenox,  the  elder  son,  was  born  June  27th,  1796,  General 
Washington  being  President  of  United  States  at  the  time.  Soon 
after  his  birth  his  parents  moved  from  the  bank  of  the  Delaware 
to  the  south  side  of  Arch  Street,  between  Fourth  and  Fifth,  and  the 
third  door  east  of  Christ  Church  burying-ground.  This  was  in  1797. 
In  July,  1798,  the  family  were  still  residing  in  this  house;  Mrs. 
Hodge  having  had  for  her  companion  during  the  winter  Miss  Margaret 
Bayard,  afterwards  Mrs.  Samuel  Harrison  Smith,  and  also  Miss  Maria 


30  FAMILY  HISTORY  AND  EEMINISCEXCES. 

Bayard,  afterwards  Mrs.  Samuel  Boyd,  of  New  York.  Dr.  Jacob 
J.  Janeway  had  recently  been  elected  co-pastor  of  the  Second  Presby- 
terian Church  as  the  associate  of  Dr.  Ashbel  Green,  and  he  occupied 
one  room  of  the  Hodge  house  as  his  study.  The  following  year  Mr. 
Andrew  Hodge  moved  into  the  house;  my  mother  and  the  children 
oecup3dng  the  front  room  in  the  third  story.  In  December,  1802, 
Mr.  Thomas  Blanchard,  my  mother's  brother,  took  our  family  to 
spend  the  winter  at  Norfolk,  Va.,  where  he  was  living,  having  married 
a  Miss  Amy  Newton,  a  sister  of  George  Newton,  afterwards  President 
of  the  United  States  Branch  Bank,  and  of  Thomas  Newton,  for 
many  years  a  representative  of  that  district  in  Congress.  My  mother 
returned  to  Philadelphia  the  folloAving  season,  and  then  took  us  to 
Salem,  Mass.,  for  a  visit.  Her  brother,  Mr.  Samuel  Blanchard,  who 
married  a  niece  of  Timothy  Pickering,  at  one  time  Secretary  of  State 
under  Washington,  resided  on  a  small  estate  at  Wenham.  This 
was  in  1803.  Soon  after  our  return  to  Philadelphia  my  mother  took 
the  house,  still  standing  in  1872,  at  the  northwest  corner  of  Eighth 
and  Arch  Streets.  She  then  had  for  inmate  Miss  Jane  Bayard,  the 
only  child  of  John  Murray  Bayard  and  Margaret  Bayard.  She  had 
come  to  Philadelphia  to  complete  her  education  at  the  then  cele- 
])rated  school  for  young  ladies,  taught  by  Mr.  Samuel  Jaudon,  who 
was  an  elder  in  the  Second  Presbyterian  Church.  This  young  lady 
afterwards,  in  1814,  became  the  wife  of  Dr.  Alexander  H.  Stevens, 
of  New  York,  for  a  long  time  one  of  the  most  distinguished  surgeons 
of  that   city. 

From  the  first  introduction  of  my  brother  and  myself  to  cousin 
Jane  Bayard  to  the  time  of  her  decease  we  were  always  treated  by 
her  in  the  most  sisterly  manner.  My  school  da3^s  now  commenced. 
My  first  introduction  was-  to  a  school  for  girls  and  boys,  where  my 
cousins,  Miss  Sally  Bayard  and  Miss  Elizabeth  Bayard,  went.  Soon 
afterwards  I  went  to  a  school  for  boys,  taught  by  a  Mr.  Getty,  between 
Second  and  Third  Streets.  In  1806  or  1807  we  moved  to  No.  22 
Sansom  Street,  on  tlie  south  side,  between  Seventh  and  Eighth.  My 
mother  had  living  with  her  a  friend,  Mrs.  Ehea,  Mrs.  Susan  Higgin- 
son,  and  lier  widowed  daughter,  afterwards  Mrs.  Thomas  Atley.  Soon 
afterwards  Miss  Faires  also  came  to  live  with  us,  but  in  a  short  time 
she  was  married  to  Mr.  E,  Smith,  then  a  wealthy  merchant  in  Front 
Street,  and  an  elder  in  the  Second  Presbyterian  Church. 

After  we  took  up  our  sojourn  in  Sansom  Street  I  attended,  as  I 
have  already  stated,  the  classical  school  of  Mr.  Thompson  in  the  acade- 
my of  the  University  of  Pennsylvania. 


FAMILY  HISTORY  AND  REMINISCENCES.  31 

In  the  spring  of  1810  my  mother  determined  for  many  reasons, 
chiefly  prudential,  and  largely  in  view  of  the  fact  that  her  health  had 
become  considerably  impaired,  to  break  up  her  establishment  and  place 
us  boys  at  an  academy  in  Somerville,  N.  J.  The  village  was  on  high 
ground,  very  healthy,  and  on  the  line  of  the  "Swift  and  Sure  Mail 
Coach  Line"  to  ISTew  York,  and  near  the  confluence  of  the  Millstone 
and  Earitan  Eivers,  about  ten  or  twelve  miles  west  of  New  Brunswick. 

A  letter  written  in  1810  by  Mr.  Frederick  Blanchard,  Mrs.  Hodge's 
nephew,  speaks  of  going  to  Somerville  to  see  the  boys.  "My  choice 
of  the  Swift  Sure  Mail  Line  of  stages  for  the  purpose  of  seeing  your 
boys  in  Somerville  cost  me  much  fatigue  and  some  delay.  The  country 
was  inundated  l)y  the  rain  and  all  the  bridges  carried  away  and  the 
woods  destroyed,  so  that  it  was  not  until  the  end  of  the  third  day 
after  leaving  Philadelphia  that  with  much  exertion  and  every  kind  of 
conveyance,  ox-cart,  horse  and  wagon,  etc.,  that  I  reached  New  York. 
I  had  only  a  few  moments  to  pass  with  them.  I  could  only  judge  of 
their  personal  appearance  and  first  address,  and  with  these,  I  can 
say  with  much  sincerity,  I  was  extremely  pleased,  beyond  even  what  I 
expected.  They  were  not  less  pleased  with  the  letter  I  brought  them. 
I  left  New  York  on  Sunday,  and  arrived  in  Boston  on  Tuesday."  The 
school  in  Somerville  was  taught  by  the  Eev.  Mr.  Boyer,  a  gentleman 
of  some  reputation  as  a  teacher,  very  kind  to  the  boys,  and  having  the 
happy  faculty  of  interesting  them  in  their  studies.  I  now  for  the 
first  time  felt  the  importance  of  mental  improvement.  It  was  indeed 
at  this  time  that  I  made  up  my  mind  that  I  must  either  study  or 
starve,  and  in  this  frame  of  mind  I  entered  seriously  upon  the  study 
of  the  classics.  Our  social  relations  were  very  pleasant.  We  boarded 
with  a  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Vandeveer,  a  very  excellent  and  respectable  fam- 
ily. Mrs.  Vandeveer  was  a  sister  of  Mr.  Theodore  Frelinghuysen, 
afterwards  the  distinguished  Senator  from  New  Jersey,  and  President 
of  the  New  York  Bible  Society.  In  the  fall  of  1810  our  domicile  was 
changed,  and  we  boarded  with  Dr.  Stryker,  then  the  leading  physician 
of  the  place.  He  occupied  the  position  of  Brigadier  General  of 
Militia,  and  became  a  Senator  in  the  Legislature  of  New  Jersey.  He 
lived  to  be  ninety  years  of  age.  His  family  consisted  of  a  wife  and 
several  daughters,  with  whom  our  intercourse  was  very  agreeable, 
forming  the  subject  of  pleasing  reminiscences  even  to  the  present  day. 
Many  intimate  friends  were  also  made  in  this  school,  with  whom 
intercourse  was  continued  for  many  years  at  Nassau  Hall,  Princeton. 
I  finished  my  course  of  study  in  the  fall  of  1811,  at  fifteen  years  of 


33  FAMILY  HISTORY  AND  REMINISCENCES. 

age.     It  became  necessary  that  I  should  have  further  advantages  pre- 
paratory to  my  entering  college.     My  brother  remained  at  Somerville 
and  I  went  to  Xew  Brunswick  to  secure  private  instruction  in  mathe- 
matics from  Prof.  Adraine  of  Eutgers  College,  IST.  J.,  then  called 
Queen's  College.     Prof.  Adraine  was  a  gentleman  of  great  reputation. 
I  was  kindly  received  and  aifectionately  entertained  by  Judge  Kirk- 
patrick,  then  Chief  Justice  of  New  Jersey.     The  family  consisted  of 
three  daughters  and  two  sons.     The  only  survivor  is  Mary  Ann,  the 
widow  of  the  Eev.  Dr.  Howe,  of  New  Brunswick.     Miss  Fanny  Mar- 
tell,  a  French  lady  from  the  West  Indies,  was  also  an  inmate  of  the 
Judge's  house  and  a  teacher  to  the  children.     I  also  took  lessons  in 
the  French  language  from  her.     I  was  happy,  although  I  sorely  missed 
my  brother;  it  being  the  first  time  we  two  boys  were  ever  separated. 
The  winter  passed  pleasantly  and  usefully  and  I  was  to  enter  col- 
lege in  the  spring  of  1812.     My  mother's  health  being  somewhat  re- 
stored she  took  a  house  in  Witherspoon  Street,  Princeton,  directly  op- 
posite to  the  college,  and,  in  order  to  give  her  children  the  advantages 
of  a  collegiate  course,  she  took  into  her  family  four  additional  boys, 
all  of  them  being  relatives  and  connections.     They  were  our  cousin, 
Alexander  Hodgdon,  of  Philadelphia;  Nicholas  Bayard,  son  of  Dr.  N. 
Bayard,  of  New  York,  my  cousin,  and  two  Masters  Ward,  stepsons  of  Mr. 
N.  Ba3'ard,  who  had  settled  in  Savannah,  and  married  Mrs.  W.,a  widow 
who  was  connected  with  the  Macintosh  family  of  Virginia.     This  ar- 
rangement lasted  for  a  year,  when  the  Ward  boys  returned  home  to 
Georgia,  Alexander  Hodgdon  to  his  father's  house  in  Philadelphia  to 
pursue  mercantile  business,  while  Mr.  N.  Bayard  took  rooms  in  the 
college  dormitory.     Their  places  in  the  house  were  then  occupied  by 
Mrs.  William  Bache,  the  widow  of  Dr.  Bache  and  sister  of  Caspar 
Wistar;  the  latter  a  distinguished  professor  in  the  University   of 
Pennsylvania  and  President  of  the  American  Philosophical  Society. 
At  this  time  Mrs.  Bache  had  three  children,  Sarah,  Benjamin  Frank- 
line,  and  Catherine.     Sarah  was  about  fourteen  or  fifteen  years  of  age, 
well-grown  and  handsome,  full  of  imagination  and  exceedingly  en- 
thusiastic, taking  the  deepest  interest  in  everything  which  happened 
to  occupy  her  attention,  and  becoming  therefore  a  most  agreeable 
companion.     No  wonder,  therefore,  that  she  attracted  the  attention 
and  love  of  my  brother  Charles,  young  as  he  was.     The  result  was  that 
nine  years  afterwards  they  were  married  by  the  Eight  Eeverend  Wil- 
liam ^\Tlite,  Bishop  of  Pennsylvania,  the  first  bishop  of  the  United 
Colonies.     Mrs.  Bache's  son,  Benjamin  Franklin,  so  named  for  his 


FAMILY  HISTORY  AND  llEMINISCEXCES,  33 

great-grandfather,  Benjamin  Franklin,  philosopher  and  politician, 
was  then,  in  1813,  about  twelve  years  of  age,  a  boy  of  much  talent 
and  great  peculiarities.  He  was  put  to  a  grammar-school  and  entered 
college.  There,  however,  he  was  much  dissatisfied.  Under  these  cir- 
cumstances he  allowed  himself  to  be  persuaded,  although  not  without 
a  good  deal  of  remonstrance,  to  take  a  long  voyage  at  sea  before  the 
mast.  On  his  return  he  was  found  very  willing  to  become  a  student 
and  return  to  college.  After  graduating  he  studied  medicine  and 
became  a  surgeon  in  the  United  States  Navy,  where  he  obtained  great 
influence,  and  was  gradually  promoted  to  the  highest  post.  He  was 
finally  placed  in  the  Navy  Yard  in  New  York.  He  had  always  mani- 
fested a  great  devotion  to  practical  chemistry  and  pharmacy;  and 
hence  under  the  patronage  of  the  government  he  established  a  very 
large  laboratory  at  Williamsburg,  where  were  made  all  the  phar- 
maceutical preparations  of  the  United  States  Navy.  The  excellence 
of  the  preparations,  and  the  pecuniary  saving  to  the  government,  were 
so  apparent  that  during  the  late  Civil  War  their  distribution  was 
extended  to  the  Army.  Although  upon  the  retired  list  in  1871  he 
still  exerts  a  great  influence  at  his  home  in  Brooklyn. 

The  third  child,  Catherine,  was  only  seven  years  of  age.  She  was 
then  in  delicate  health,  and  has  been  much  of  an  invalid  during  the 
whole  of  her  life.  She  never  married.  Her  home  is  in  Philadelphia, 
where  she  lives  in  the  enjoyment  of  many  attentions  from  her  relatives. 
My  mother  was  thus  estabhshed  with  her  children  in  the  classical 
town  of  Princeton.  My  brother  entered  the  preparatory  school  of 
Mr.  Fyler,  where  he  remained  six  months  under  this  most  excellent  in- 
structor, and  was  able  to  enter  the  sophomore  class  of  the  college  in  Sep- 
tember, 1812.  I  entered  the  sophomore  class  May,  1812,  after  due  exami- 
nation, at  the  commencement  of  the  second  term.  The  president  of  the 
.  college  at  that  time  was  the  Eev.  Stanhope  Smith,  D.D.  He  was  a  son- 
in-law  of  the  celebrated  John  Witherspoon,  who  was  his  predecessor 
in  office  and  a  signer  of  the  Declaration  of  Independence.  Dr.  Smith 
was  always  celebrated  for  his  fine  appearance,  his  refinement  of  man- 
ners, his  talents  and  acquirements,  and  his  chaste  and  fervid  eloquence. 
At  the  time  of  our  entering  college  he  was  old  and  infirm;  yet  his 
appearance  was  very  venerable,  and  his  instructions  exceedingly  im- 
pressive and  valuable.  I  shall  always  remember  his  lectures,  or 
rather,  as  they  may  be  called,  conversations,  on  the  principles  of  moral 
philosophy. 

College  boj's,  it  may  be  said,  were  just  like  those  of  the  present  da}^ 
3 


J4  FAMILY  HISTORY  AND  REMINISCENCES, 

I  was  now  commeucing  a  new  life,  with  new  objects  in  view,  all  of 
an  intellectual  and  scientific  character,  with  new  associates  who  had 
been  gathered  from  all  parts  of  our  Union,  especially  from  the  South- 
ern States.  With  many  of  these  stu(Jents  I  formed  intimate  friend- 
ships; as  with  ]\Ir.  Walker  from  Georgia,  Mr.  Barrow  from  Missis- 
sippi, and  William  and  Eobert  Dunbar  from  the  same  State. 
One  of  my  intimates  was  William  M.  Atkinson  from  Petersburg,  Va. 
He  was  educated  as  a  lawyer,  but  subsequently  became  a  Presbyterian 
clergyman.  He  had  a  brother,  the  Eev.  John  Atkinson,  who  was 
also  a  Presbyterian  clergyman.  Another  brother  was  Bishop  Atkin- 
son of  the  diocese  of  North  Carolina.  My  other  Virginia  friends  were 
Henry  Carringion,  afterwards  General  Carrington,  and  Jno.  B. 
Dabney,  a  young  man  already  at  that  time  displaying  much  in- 
tellectual power  and  cultivation.  He  afterwards  became  a  judge  of 
the  Virginia  Court.  These  are  all  dead.  The  pleasure  of  my  as- 
sociation with  these  gentlemen  was  enhanced  by  the  fact  that  they 
were  all  members  of  the  American  Whig  Society  of  the  (College;  a 
society  which  has  always  contributed  greatly  to  the  intellectual  devel- 
opment of  the  niembers  and  to  the  formation  of  liberal  ideas. 

If  I  became  a  hard  student  it  was  due  to  a  realization  of  my  oy\'n 
deficiencies  and  inexperience,  and  to  the  fact  that  my  ambition  was 
excited  to  obtain  a  high  position  in  my  class ;  a  feeling  which  must  be 
ascribed  in  a  large  degree  doubtless  to  the  wish  I  cherished  to  satisfy 
my  thirst  for  knowledge,  but  also  largely  to  a  desire  to  please  my 
mother  who  had  made  such  great  and  painful  sacrifices  for  her  cliil- 
dren.  I  was  also  stimulated  by  a  sense  of  necessity.  I  took  com- 
paratively but  little  exercise.  My  studies  were  pursued  in  my  bed- 
room, which  was  in  the  attic  of  a  two-story  house.  Others  slept  in 
the  same  room,  and  there  was  no  proper  ventilation.  A  small  sheet- 
iron  stove  warmed  me,  and  my  only  light  was  from  the  burning  of  a 
small  oil-lamp  with  a  single  wick,  Avhich  served  to  contaminate  the 
air,  already  vitiated  by  the  respirations  of  several  people.  It  was 
indeed  often  the  "midnight  oil"  that  was  expended,  even  to  a  later 
ho\ir,  into  the  watches  of  the  night.  Although  this  was  for  a  long 
time  borne  with  impunity,  still  the  natural  result,  as  will  appear  here- 
after, showed  itself  in  the  inevitable  deterioration  of  health. 

The  summer  passed  away  usefully  and  pleasantly.  The  fall  of 
1812,  however,  brought  great  changes  to  Princeton.  The  resignation 
of  the  venerable  and  beloved  Stanhope  Smith  was  accepted  by  the 
trustees,  who  a})poiiited  as  his  successor  the  Eev.  Ashbel  Green,  D.D., 


FAMILY  HISTORY  AND  REMINISCENCES.  35 

who  had  been  for  some  twenty-five  years  pastor  of  the  Second  Presby- 
terian Church  in  Philadelphia.  To  me  this  was  a  gi-eat  event,  as 
Dr.  Green  had  been  the  untiring  religious  instructor  of  my  youth.  He 
married  my  parents  and  baptized  their  children;  and  now  we  boys, 
after  a  separation  of  only  two  years,  were  again  happily  placed  under 
his  surveillance. 

This  autumn  was  also  memorable  in  the  establishment  of  the  first 
theological  seminary  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  in  America.  At  a 
meeting  of  the  General  Assembly  in  the  May  previous  it  was  resolved 
to  establish  the  institution  as  something  absolutely  necessary  for  the 
interests  of  religion  in  this  branch  of  the  Church.  The  Assembly  de- 
termined that  it  should  be  located  at  Princeton,  and  elected  Dr.  Archi- 
bald Alexander  as  its  first,  and  for  a  time  its  only,  professor.  The 
Rev.  Samuel  Miller,  D.D.,  was,  however,  soon  afterwards  appointed 
as  his  colleague. 

As  no  building  had  been  provided  theological  students  resided  in 
the  college,  where  their  influence  proved  most  advantageous  over  the 
minds  and  conduct  of  the  students.  They  not  only  administered  to 
their  moral  and  religious  education,  but  won  their  esteem  and  affec- 
tion by  assiduously  waiting  upon  them  during  their  hours  of  sickness 
and  suffering  throughout  an  epidemic  of  dysentery. 

In  the  manner  already  related  I  passed  my  junior  and  senior  years 
at  college  with  great  advantage,  making  constant  and  increasing  pro- 
gress in  the  various  subjects  of  literature  and  science  which  were  suc- 
cessively presented  to  my  mind.  At  length  the  final  examination  came 
on,  always  the  time  of  varied  interest  and  excitement  to  most  members 
of  the  class  who  aspire  to  any  distinction,  and  even  to  those  who  had 
no  such  aspirations,  especially  as  they  might  belong  to  either  the 
American  ^Vliig  or  Cliosophic  Society,  the  rival  literary  institutions 
of  the  college. 

The  arrangement  for  ascertaining  the  relative  standing  of  each 
candidate  was  in  those  days  by  no  means  so  precise  as  at  present.  No 
wonder  therefore  the  faculty  had  difficulty  to  determine  who  was 
entitled  to  the  first  honor.  In  fact,  they  were  so  embarrassed  that 
they  made  no  decision,  but  very  politely  gave  the  coveted  position  to 
no  less  than  four  young  men,  leaving  it  thus  to  the  pleasure  of  the 
candidates  and  their  friends  to  determine  who  really  deserved  the 
honor.  The  recipients  of  the  first  honor,  under  these  circumstances, 
were  Mr.  Saunders,  afterwards  a  clerg}mian;  Mr.  Jno.  B.  Dabney, 
afterwards  a  judge;  Hugh  L.  Hodge,  subsequently  a  medical  profes- 


36  FAMILY  HISTORY  AND  REMINISCENCES. 

sor,  and  Bloomfield  Mcllvaine,  who  entered  the  legal  profession,  was 
married,  and  had  every  prospect  of  taking  the  highest  position  in  law, 
but  in  a  few  short  years  died  of  an  acute  disease.  He  was  a  brother 
of  Bishop  ]\lcllvaine  of  the  diocese  of  Ohio.  Mr.  Saunders  delivered 
the  Latin  Salutatory  Oration.  I  spoke  upon  the  subject  of  Moral 
Science,  and  Mr.  Mcllvaine  delivered  a  very  eloquent  Valedictory, 
which  procured  much  admiration.  During  the  delivery  of  Mr.  Mc- 
Ilvaine's  oration  an  incident  occurred  which  I  cannot  help  recording 
as  connected  with  one  of  the  great  characters  of  our  country,  and  as 
exhibiting  the  character  of  the  youthful  speaker  in  a  very  creditable 
light,  proving  him  to  be  both  ready  in  conception  and  happy  in  exe- 
cution. 

Our  commencement  was  held  towards  the  close  of  the  War  of  1812 
with  Great  Britain,  and  soon  after  the  decisive  victories  of  Lundy 
Lane  and  Chippewa.  The  hero  of  these  battles  was  Col.  Winfield 
Scott ;  at  the  time  of  the  commencement  Brigadier  General.  He  was 
seriously  wounded  in  the  shoulder  in  one  of  these  engagements,  and, 
being  thus  upon  the  wounded  list,  was  making  slow  journeys  from 
the  lakes  to  his  home  in  Virginia.  He  had  just  arrived  in  Princeton, 
and,  although  very  Aveak  and  emaciated,  he  accepted  an  invitation  to 
sit  upon  the  stage  with  the  president  and  trustees  of  the  college.  He 
Avas  received,  as  he  entered  the  building,  with  every  demonstration  of 
enthusiasm,  manifesting  the  gratification  of  the  audience  at  the  pres- 
ence of  the  hero.  The  degrees  having  been  conferred  on  the  members  of 
the  class,  Bloomfield  Mcllvaine  arose  to  deliver  the  Valedictory.  He 
first  addressed  his  fellows,  then  suddenly  turned  to  General  Scott  and 
directed  his  remarks  to  him  in  strongly  complimentary  style  and  witb 
much  eloquence  and  feeling.  The  General,  as  he  afterwards  con- 
fessed, was  more  taken  by  surprise  than  if  he  had  been  attacked  by  a 
whole  regiment  of  Britishers.  He  attempted  to  rise  more  than  once, 
l)ut  finally  was  forced  by  his  strong  emotions  and  his  weakness  to 
remain  quiescent.  Years  afterwards  he  informed  me  that  few  atten- 
tions had  ever  given  him  so  much  and  such  lasting  gratification.  This 
was  in  SeptemlKT,  1814. 

Various  reasons  have  been  given  wliy  tlie  termination  of  a  college 
course  should  be  termed  a  commencement.  The  best  explanation  is 
that  the  youth,  having  finished  the  usual  curriculum  of  study,  must 
now  commence  the  real  business  of  life  with  all  of  its  anxieties  and 
with  all  the  attendant  uncertainty  as  to  the  future.  Hitherto  he  has 
gradually  been  led  on  by  others,  step  by  step,  in  the  constant  succession 


FAMILY  HISTORY  AND  KEMINISCEXCES.  37 

of  academic  and  collegiate  studies,  with  ver}^  little  thought  as  to  their 
bearing  upon  his  future  and  as  to  his  own  character  and  his  further 
progress  in  the  world.  He  has  been  acting  rather  as  a  child.  !N"ow 
he  must  begin  the  business  of  manhood,  and  must  choose  his  profes- 
sion and  business,  and  be  thrown  upon  his  own  talents  and  energy  for 
whatever  success  he  may  afterwards  attain.  Xow  others  may  advise 
and  assist,  but  he  himself  must  be  the  actor  and  assume  the  responsi- 
bility of  the  action.  My  choice  of  a  profession  seemed  to  be  a  matter 
of  course.  My  father,  whose  name  I  bore,  and  my  mother,  whose 
aims  for  her  children  were  high,  had  long  expected  that  I  would  follow 
in  his  steps.  Indeed,  it  seemed  to  be  a  necessity.  I  did  not  regard 
myself  as  suited  for  any  other  profession,  and  business  vras  never  in 
accord  with  my  taste  or  views.  The  medical  profession,  therefore 
being  determined  upon,  my  mother  wrote  to  my  father's  friend  and 
hers.  Dr.  Caspar  Wistar,  asldng  the  great  favor  that  he  would  receive 
me  as  a  student,  of  course  without  fee  or  reward:  she  had  none  to 
offer.  To  this  proposition  Dr.  Wistar  most  kindly  and  readily  as- 
sented, although  he  had,  in  a  degree,  retired  from  practice,  and  de- 
clined to  receive  any  other  student,  thus  placing  me  under  peculiar 
obligations,  which  I  and  my  children  should  ever  gratefully  acknow- 
ledge. 

My  mother  remained  at  housekeeping  at  Princeton  for  another 
year  until  my  brother  could  complete  his  college  course. 

In  November,  1814,  I  left  in  a  stage  coach  for  the  city  of  Philadel- 
phia. It  so  happened  that  an  old  chaplain  of  the  War  of  the  Revo- 
lution, as  well  as  of  the  War  of  1812,  was  sitting  behind  me  in  the 
coach,  and,  discovering  immediately  that  I  was  to  become  a  medical 
student,  horrified  my  inexperienced  and  sensitive  nature  by  informing 
me  that  henceforth  I  should  be  obliged  to  imbrue  my  hands  and  arms 
in  human  blood  with  as  little  concern  as  if  it  were  cat's  blood.  I  was 
indeed  inexperienced,  and,  I  may  add,  diffident  and  sensitive,  so  that 
I  shuddered  at  the  idea  of  mixing  with  the  world  of  men,  and  of 
entering  upon  the  business  of  life  with  all  its  responsibilities. 

In  Philadelphia  a  residence  was  provided  for  me  by  my  uncle,  An- 
drew Hodge,  in  the  old  domicile  on  Arch  Street,  between  Fourth  and 
Fifth  Streets,  where  I  spent  a  year,  receiving  the  attention  and  en- 
joying the  comforts  extended  to  me  by  the  family,  espcially  by  my 
excellent  aunt  Nancy  and  her  daughter,  Ann,  now  the  widow  of  J. 
Austin  Sands,  of  New  York. 

I  immediately  reported  myself  to  Dr.  Wistar.     He  introduced  me 


38  FAMILY  HISTORY  AXD  REMINISCENCES. 

to  Mrs.  Wistar,  then  young  and  handsome,  and  exceedingly  kind  and 
affectionate.  She  made  me  feel  at  once  at  home,  and  the  blessing 
which  her  home  and  her  presence  afforded  she  continued  to  extend 
to  me  for  many  years  afterwards  until  all  was  terminated  by  her  death. 

The  lectures  at  the  university  were  commencing,  and  I  took  my 
matriculation  ticket,  and  with  it  the  tickets  of  the  professors  of  Ana- 
tomy and  Chemistry,  which  Dr.  Wistar  thought  sufficient  for  my  first 
year  in  addition  to  Practical  Anatomy.  In  this  last  I  had  some  privi- 
leges, as  I  was  admitted  to  the  private  rooms  of  Dr.  Wistar,  then 
under  the  direction  of  Dr.  Davis,  who  was  most  materially  assisted 
by  Dr.  Edward  Shippen,  a  grandson  of  Prof.  Shippen,  a  predecessor  of 
Dr.  Wistar  and  one  of  the  founders  of  the  University  of  Pennsylvania. 

These  privileges  proved  very  advantageous  as  giving  me  the  op- 
portunity of  being  present  at  all  the  preparations  for  the  public  lec- 
tures, and  I  was  therefore  the  better  able  to  understand  them  when 
dtlivered.  During  the  interval  of  the  lectures  I  was  much  occupied, 
not  only  in  study,  but  in  various  other  ways,  making  myself  useful  to 
Dr.  Wistar.  By  his  politeness  also  I  was  furnished  with  a  ticket  to 
the  Pennsylvania  Hospital.  This  was  also  an  advantage,  as  it  gave 
me  personal  acquaintance  with  the  leading  surgeons  and  physicians 
of  the  hospital  and  of  the  city.  Dr.  Philip  Syng  Physick,  Professor 
of  Surgery ;  Dr.  Dorsey,  his  nephew ;  Dr.  Thomas  Hewson,  Dr.  Joseph 
Parrish,  and  Dr.  Joseph  Hutchinson,  were  then,  or  soon  afterwards, 
surgeons.  Dr.  Parke,  then  quite  old,  and  Dr.  Otto  and  Dr.  T.  C. 
James,  were  the  physicians.  In  those  days  it  was  customary  for 
medical  students  to  be  bound  as  apprentices  for  five  years  to  the 
Pennsylvania  Hosuital.  The  advantages  were  very  great,  as  to  them 
were  assigned  all  the  duties  of  resident  physician  and  apothecary,  and, 
in  addition  to  the  privileges  thus  enjoyed,  they  were  furnished  with 
excellent  board  and  lodging,  and  also  with  all  the  tickets  necessary 
for  their  instruction  at  the  University. 

There  were  three  of  such  apprentices  at  the  hospital.  The  youngest 
of  them  was  in  charge  of  the  apothecary  shop  and  of  the  putting  up 
of  prescriptions.  The  second  in  age  was  termed  a  dresser,  and  acted 
also  as  librarian.  To  the  oldest  was  assigned  the  duty  of  prescribing 
for  the  medical  and  surgical  wards.  This  last  position  was  occupied 
in  my  time  by  Dr.  John  Ehea  Barton,  nephew  of  Prof.  Barton  of  the 
University.  He  was  a  man  of  great  tact  and  industry,  who  knew 
how  to  profit  by  his  advantages,  and  thus  laid  the  foundation  for  the 
great  eminence  which  he  afterwards  enjoyed  as  an  operative  surgeon. 


FAMILY  lilSTOEY  AXD  REMINISCENCES.  39 

Dr.  Benjamin  H.  Coates  was  dresser.  He  was  a  gentleman  of  a 
peculiar  type  of  character.  He  afterwards  became  a  practitioner  well 
known  for  his  talents  and  for  his  extensive  and  varied  knowledge. 
There  was  at  the  time  of  my  attendance  at  the  hospital  a  vacancy  in 
the  apothecary's  department,  and  I  anxiously  hoped  to  be  sustained 
by  the  patronage  of  Dr.  Wistar  and  his  friends  and  to  have  obtained 
the  situation,  which  would  have  been  very  desirable  under  the  cir- 
cumstances. The  appointment  was,  however,  given  to  Warbeck  Miller, 
a  young  gentleman  from  Alexandria  of  much  talent  and  prepossessing 
manners.  I  soon  became  intimate  with  him,  and  to  his  friendship 
was  much  indebted  for  my  improvement,  during  the  time  that  I  was 
on  duty  at  the  hospital.  His  career  was  short.  In  a  few  years  he 
became  consumptive  and  soon  died,  bringing  by  his  death  great  loss 
as  well  as  sorrow  to  his  friends  in  the  profession.  Although  I  was 
disappointed  in  my  hope  of  becoming  a  resident  at  the  hospital,  yet, 
through  the  kindness  of  both  Dr.  Coates  and  Dr.  Miller,  I  had  the 
privilege  of  staying  several  weeks  at  the  institution  during  the  sum- 
mers of  1815  and  181C,  acting  as  their  substitute  while  they  were  ab- 
sent from  the  city  for  recreation.  This  arrangement  proved  greatly 
for  my  advantage. 

Nothing  special  occurred  during  the  winter  of  1815  in  a  medical 
point  of  view.  Politically  the  countr}^  was  electrified  by  the  great 
victory  of  General  Jackson  on  the  8th  of  January  of  that  year  over 
the  veteran  troops  of  Great  Britain  that  had  lately  fought  in  the 
Spanish  Peninsula.  The  following  February  the  delightful  news  of 
peace  with  England  came,  and  great  were  the  rejoicings  manifested 
ou  every  hand.  There  were  processions,  the  firing  of  musquetry,  and 
the  illumination  of  the  whole  city.  James  Madison  was  President 
at  the  time. 

The  medical  students  of  those  days  had  few  opportunities  of  im- 
provement during  the  intervals  of  lectures  except  in  the  offices  of 
their  instructors,  where  but  little  was  to  be  gained,  and  by  walking 
the  wards  of  the  hospital.  Hence  the  students  were  often  listless, 
while  the  prescribing  physicians  and  surgeons  imparted  very 
little  instruction,  and  that  only  on  prescribinsf  days,  Wednes- 
days and  Saturdays.  By  the  advice  of  Dr.  Wistar,  however, 
I  went  every  day;  and  thus  became  more  familiar  with  the  course  of 
duty,  especially  as  I  assisted  very  much  in  the  care  of  the  patients. 
Dr.  Wistar  introduced  me  also  to  Dr.  Nancrede,  a  young  physician 
just  returned  from  Paris  fraught  with  the  latest  teachings  in  that 


40  FAMILY  HISTORY  AXD  EEMINISCEXCES. 

capital.  He  was  one  of  the  vaccine  pli3^sicians  of  Philadelphia,  and, 
as  vaccination  was  still  a  novelty  in  our  country.  Dr.  Wistar  was 
anxious  that  I  should  be  acquainted  with  the  phenomena  attending  its 
use.  Hence  I  went  Avith  Dr.  Nancrede  as  his  companion  and  pupil, 
and  afterwards  acted  as  his  substitute  among  the  lanes  and  alleys, 
and  in  the  suburbs  also  of  the  city,  where  now  houses  are  thickly 
clustered. 

The  session  of  1815-16  at  the  University  would,  under  ordinary 
circumstances,  have  commenced .  in  IsFovember.  But  there  was  no 
teacher  for  the  Practice  of  Medicine,  as  Dr.  Barton,  who  had  eighteen 
months  previously  been  elected  successor  to  Dr.  Rush,  was  then  a 
great  invalid.  His  strength  rapidly  declined,  and  he  died  in  Decem- 
ber, I  think,  jSTo  new  appointment  was  made  that  winter,  but  lec- 
tures on  the  Practice  of  Medicine  were  delivered  by  the  professors  in 
addition  to  those  of  their  own  chairs. 

Tliat  winter  the  position  of  Demonstrator  of  Anatomy  was  filled 
by  a  very  promising  young  man,  Mr.  Bertram,  who  had  attracted  Dr. 
"Wistar's  attention  by  the  accuracy  of  his  anatomical  knowledge.  He 
proved,  however,  inadequate  to  his  important  duties.  The  assistance 
ably  given  in  this  department  by  Dr.  William  E.  Horner  made  amends 
for  his  deficiencies.  Dr.  Horner  was  gradiuited  in  1811  and  en- 
tered the  United  States  Army.  He  had  just  returned  from  the  mili- 
tary hospital  near  Buffalo  when  he  came  and  settled  in  Philadelphia. 
He  was  a  most  admirable  dissector,  very  precise,  industrious  and  per- 
severing, so  that  he  made  himself  a  necessity  to  the  school. 

During  this  winter  I  took  more  tickets  at  the  University,  but  still 
did  not  enter  upon  a  lull  course.  The  summer  was  passed  very  much 
as  the  previous  one  had  been  spent;  except  that,  owing  to  my  con- 
nection with  Dr.  Nancrede,  I  saw  some  patients  among  the  poor,  and 
occasionally  ventured  to  prescribe.  In  May,  1816,  Dr.  Chapman,  of 
Virginia,  who  had  l)een  practising  in  Philadelphia  for  some  twelve 
years,  and  who  had  been  ])rofessor  of  Materia  Medica  since  1813,  was 
translated  to  the  vacant  chair  of  the  Institutes  and  Practice  of  Medi- 
cine. He  proved  to  be  a  brilliant  and  successful  teacher,  as  he  was  also 
a  good  practitioner.  He  became  very  popular,  contributing  therefore 
greatly  to  the  existing  prosperity  of  the  medical  school.  During  many 
years  its  reputation  was  at  its  height,  supported,  as  it  was,  by  such  dis- 
tinguished men  as  Wistar,  Physick,  James,  and  Chapman  (Nat  Chap- 
man, the  boys  called  him). 

Having  laid  the  foundation  of  mv  medical  studies  T  now  became 


FAMILY  HISTORY  AXD  REMIXISCEXCES.  41 

seriously  engaged  in  the  study  of  the  practical  branches ;  my  views,  as 
well  as  my  knowledge,  being  rapidly  developed  under  the  instruction 
of  our  excellent  professors.  My  employment  during  the  summer  of 
1817  was  so  far  varied  that  I  now  walked  the  wards  of  the  Philadel- 
phia Hospital,  or  Almshouse.  The  mass  of  buildings  thus  termed 
were  then  on  Spruce  Street,  and  were  enclosed  by  a  high  brick  wall 
extending  from  Tenth  Street  to  Eleventh;  there  being  open  lots  be- 
tween the  Pennsylvania  Hospital  and  the  Almshouse,  which  were 
used  as  pasture-lots  for  cows.  Wliat  is  now  Clinton  Street  in  part  is 
built  on  the  Almshouse  lots. 

As  I  expected  to  be  graduated  in  the  succeeding  spring,  I  took  the 
precaution  of  preparing  m}'  thesis  during  the  month  of  August.  The 
subject  was  "The  Digestive  Process."  My  endeavor  was,  by  some 
observations  and  facts  which  I  enumerated,  as  well  as  by  many  ap- 
proved arguments,  to  sustain  the  idea,  received  from  Dr.  Physick,  that 
the  essential  part  of  the  process  of  digestion  was  effected  during  the 
progress  of  absorption,  or,  as  perhaps  it  may  be  termed,  endosmose. 

The  course  of  lectures  for  the  3'ear  1817-18  began  under  the  hap- 
piest auspices.  The  building  for  the  medical  department  had  been 
greatly  enlarged  and  improved,  and  the  number  of  medical  students 
was  probably  never  greater.  A  sad  trial,  however,  awaited  me,  as  well 
as  the  school  and  the  profession.  Dr.  Caspar  Wistar,  so  long  revered 
and  beloved,  and  whose  influence  had  been  so  manifestly  for  the  good 
of  the  school,  died  on  the  22nd  of  June,  1818,  after  a  short  and  severe 
attack  of  congestive  fever.  Great  as  was  the  loss  to  the  University, 
it  was  still  greater  to  me  personally,  as  on  him  alone  I  depended  for 
professional  support  and  advice  in  the  prosecution  of  my  studies  and 
in  preparation  for  my  life-work.  The  future  was  therefore  now  very 
dark  to  me.  Six  weeks  after  this  mournful  event,  and  after  the  usual 
examinations,  I  was  graduated  as  a  Doctor  of  Medicine,  in  conjunc- 
tion with  many  of  my  friends,  not  a  few  of  whom  survive  to  the  present 
moment.  One  of  them  is  my  excellent  friend,  Dr.  George  B.  Wood, 
from  Salem,  ]^.  J.  He  had  wished  to  become  a  pupil  of  Dr.  Wistar, 
but,  as  this  could  not  be,  he  entered  the  office  of  Dr.  Joseph  Parrish, 
a  former  pupil  of  Dr.  Wistar,  and  at  this  time  enjoying  an  extensive 
reputation  and  practice.  Dr.  Wood  and  myself  were  always  together, 
sitting  on  the  same  l)ench,  taking  notes  of  the  same  lectures,  belonging 
to  the  same  examining,  or  quizzing,  club,  and  now  introduced  at  the 
same  time  to  the  privileges  of  the  medical  profession.  The  friendship, 
thus  begun,  still  continues  to  old  age,  and  has  been  marked  by  other 
coincidences  which  will  hereafter  be  mentioned. 


42  FAMILY  HISTORY  AND  REJIINISCENCES. 

How  I  was  to  live,  and  what  I  was  to  do,  were  the  questions  which  I 
had  now  to  solve.  How  was  I  to  make  the  knowledge  I  had  acquired 
practically  useful  to  myself  and  others?  This  was  certainly  a  most 
interesting  and  important  question.  I  had  as  yet  no  income  from  our 
grandfather's  estate.  The  income  indeed  had  been  arrested  during  the 
War  of  1812,  and  the  debts  which  had  accumulated  during  our  univer- 
sity course  would  probably  sweep  away  the  whole  of  the  principal.  My 
mother  was  still  laboring  for  her  own  support  and  for  that  of  her  chil- 
dren. Indeed,  money  had  to  be  borrowed  to  pay  for  my  last  course  of 
lectures  and  for  my  graduating  fees.  Notwithstanding  all  these 
discouragements  and  restrictions  I  had  a  strong  desire  to  spend  a 
year  in  Europe  for  my  professional  improvement.  Through  the 
kindness  of  my  cousin,  William  Hodge,  then  a  young  and  thriving 
merchant  in  Philadelphia,  a  way  seemed  to  be  opened  for  the  ac- 
complishment of  my  purpose.  It  was  suggested  that  I  should  go 
on  a  voyage  to  Calcutta  as  surgeon  on  a  merchant-vessel.  This 
was  then  quite  a  common  arrangement.  The  necessary  money 
could  be  borrowed  from  the  insurance  office  on  what  were  called 
respondentia  bonds;  a  profit,  if  any,  to  be  paid  to  the  borrowers. 
The  deductions,  however,  such  as  insurance,  interest,  etc.,  were 
considerable.  Still,  as  we  would  have  nothing  to  pay  for  com- 
missions on  freight  and  purchase  and  transit  of  goods,  there  was  a 
fair  prospect  of  securing  a  sum  which  would  afterwards  enable  me 
to  visit  Europe. 

Several  months  passed  before  the  arrangement  could  be  made; 
but  finally  I  sailed  from  New  York,  on  the  8th  of  September,  1818, 
in  the  ship  "Julius  Csesar."  She  was  commanded  by  Captain 
Charles  Marshall,  an  experienced  sailor  reared  among  many  trials; 
a  manly,  cheerful,  and  excellent  seaman.  I  may  add  that  he  be- 
came very  successful  as  a  captain,  and  afterwards  as  owner,  of  the 
celebrated  packet  ships  from  New  York  to  Liverpool.  He  died  some 
years  ago,  numbered  among  the  rich  men  of  New  York.  His  life  was 
quite  a  romance.  Mr.  Foster,  our  super-cargo,  was  a  most  up- 
right and  excellent  man._  He  had  made  frequent  voyages  to  India, 
and  was  still  under  the  necessity  of  leaving  wife  and  children  in 
order  to  secure  for  thejn  a  proper  support.  I  shall  always  feel 
indebted  to  him  for  his  constant,  unwavering  attentions,  and  the 
almost  paternal  care  wbicli  lie  extended  to  me  in  these  my  first 
wanderings  from  home.  Onr  other  companion  in  the  cabin  was 
a  Mr.    Shelton,  a  young  clerk  from   New  York,   and  Mr.   Oswald 


FAMILY  HISTORY  AXD  REMINISCENCES.  43 

Guest,  of  a  Quaker  family,  whose  mother,  Mrs.  Guest,  is  still  living. 
He  returned  to  Philadelphia,  and  entered  into  business,  but  did 
not  survive  very  long.  The  voyage  was  to  me  very  pleasant,  not- 
withstanding all  the  disagreeable  incidents  of  occasional  storms  and 
calms.  I  enjoyed  greatly  the  motion  of  the  vessel,  the  alternate 
pitching  and  rolling;  and  I  took  great  interest  in  the  wonderful 
management  of  the  ship,  now  sailing  pleasantly  and  with  delightful 
breezes,  anon  struck  by  a  heavy  squall,  or  strained  in  every  timber 
by  a  violent  tempest.  Of  course  the  time  was  tedious.  Day  after 
day  there  was  the  same  routine,  and  nothing  was  visible  but  sky 
and  water.  I  however  immediately  adopted  a  plan  of  having  an 
occupation  for  every  hour.  Meals,  of  course,  were  punctually 
served  at  the  regular  watches.  After  breakfast,  until  noon,  studies 
and  writing,  chiefly  upon  medical  subjects,  occupied  the  time,  until 
all  rushed  to  the  deck,  about  midday,  to  learn  the  altitude  of  the 
sun,  and  afterwards,  with  the  assistance  of  the  chronometer,  and 
sometimes  in  favorable  eonjimction  by  means  of  the  sextant,  mea- 
suring the  arc  of  the  heavens  to  determine  our  latitude  and  longi- 
tude, and,  of  course,  the  distance  run.  In  this  way  we  formed  an- 
ticipations for  the  future,  always  vain  and  usually  ending  in  disap- 
pointment. We  had  a  good  run  in  a  southeast  direction  towards 
the  Azores:  a  very  pleasant  sail  through  the  northern  trades;  but, 
alas,  slow  was  our  progress  through  the  equatorial  regions.  We 
experienced  hot  suns,  no  winds,  calm  after  calm,  for  nearly  forty 
days  until  we  reached  the  southern  trades.  By  these  we  were,  of 
course,  taken  again  across  the  Atlantic,  approximating  South 
America,  passing  between  that  continent  and  the  island  of  Trini- 
dad, of  which  we  had  a  delightful  view.  We  passed  near  to  it 
at  sunrise  on  a  beautiful  clear  morning,  while  a  moderate  breeze 
was  blowing  just  sufficient  to  ruffle  the  clear  waters  of  the  deep 
ocean.  This  was  the  first  land  which  we  had  seen  since  we  left 
New  York,  and  it  gave  us  great  pleasure  to  observe  the  outlines  of 
its  valleys  and  cliffs  with  the  ever-varying  tints  reflected  from  the 
beams  of  the  rising  sun,  which  at  this  early  hour  was  occasionally 
shut  out  from  view  by  the  intervening  rocks.  The  wind  now  fresh- 
ened and  we  spread  sail  again  and  sped  across  the  Atlantic  to  the 
Cape  of  Good  Hope,  which,  however,  we  did  not  see,  as  we  passed 
too  far  to  the  south.  We  arrived  at  this  longitude  apparently  at 
the  termination  of  a  fearful  storm,  for  we  found  the  sea  greatly 
disturbed.     A    very    strong   westerly    gale    was   blowing    directly   in 


44  FAMILY  HISTORY  AXD  REMIKISCENCES. 

opposition  to  the  strong  current  which  always  sets  west  from  the 
Indian  Ocean  to  the  Atlantic.  The  waves,  or  seas,  for  that  is  their 
proper  name,  were  indeed  very  high,  so  that  sailing  was  now  dan- 
gerous. The  great  anxiety  of  the  captain  was  evident.  ISTothing 
could  persuade  him  to  leave  the  deck  where  he  kept  a  watchful  eye 
upon  every  lurch  of  our  frail  bark  and  upon  every  rope  and  spar. 
Mr.  Foster,  who  had  made  many  voyages,  said  he  never  witnessed 
longer  or  deeper  seas.  As  we  were  going  directly  before  the  wind  there 
was  nothing  to  steady  the  vessel.  She  therefore  rolled,  first  to  larboard, 
then  to  starboard,  into  the  water ;  rising  upon  the  mighty  waves,  then 
dipping  down  apparently  to  the  depths  below,  when  again  suddenly 
her  prow  would  rise,  seeking  the  top  of  another  wave.  After  a  few 
hours  the  Avind  moderated  somewhat,  so  that  the  apprehension  of 
danger  was  dissipated.  Still,  however,  we  continued  our  eastern 
course  with  the  wind  to  (from?)  the  west,  and  in  the  same  st^de  as  he- 
fore;  the  vessel  rising  and  pitching  with  the  monstrous  seas,  rocking 
alternately  from  side  to  side;  our  mast  describing  a  large  segment 
of  a  circle.  Thus  we  sailed  on  in  the  Indian  Ocean  for  some  seven- 
teen days  when  again  the  cry  "Land  ho !"  was  heard.  The  land 
sighted  was  the  Island  of  Saint  Paul,  far  south  of  the  East  India 
islands  and  about  the  longitude  of  Java. 

The  captain  thought  it  best  to  make  up  his  "easting,"  as  we  were  out 
of  season  with  respect  to  the  monsoons  in  the  Bay  of  Bengal.  These 
blow  at  this  season  from  the  northeast,  and  are  therefore  head-winds 
to  the  voyager  to  ports  on  the  bay.  The  head  of  our  vessel  was  now 
turned  to  the  north.  We  eventually  came  in  sight  of  the  Island  of 
Sumatra,  famous  for  the  cultivation  and  export  of  black  pepper. 
When  still  in  sight  of  the  island  we  experienced  a  shock  as  from  a  blow 
upon  the  bow  of  the  vessel.  We  all  concluded  that  it  was  the  shock  of 
an  earthquake;  but,  as  it  was  felt  but  once,  and  as  the  way  of  the 
vessel  was  not  interrupted,  the  true  cause  remained  hidden.  In  the 
course  of  the  voyage  we  had  seen  many  large  whales,  and  possibly  we 
may  have  Ijecn  struck  by  one  of  these  monsters.  We  had  planned  to 
stop  at  Madras,  on  the  Coromandel  coast  of  Hindustan,  so  that  our 
course  was  nearly  northwest.  Another  fearful  storm  was  now 
encountered  entirely  diverse  from  the  former.  The  vessel  hove  to 
under  her  storm-sail,  while  the  fierce  wind,  dashing  amid  the  rigging, 
made  every  rope  a  whistle,  and  the  sea,  to  use  the  sailors'  language, 
"was  kept  down  by  the  violence  of  the  gale."  This  all  took  place 
in  Bengal  Bay.    A  few  days  afterwards  we  arrived  in  sight  of  Hindu- 


FAMILY  HISTORY  AND  REMINISCENCES.  45 

Stan,  and  we  cast  anchor  a  short  distance  from  land  at  Madras 
roads.  There  was  no  harbor;  only  an  open  roadstead.  Hence  the 
strong  easterly  storms.  The  danger  of  being  wrecked  in  particular 
seasons  is  exceedingly  great,  and  this  coast  is  therefore  avoided  by 
seamen.  The  day  of  our  arrival  was  very  beautiful.  Under  a  clear 
sky,  and  with  a  gentle  breeze,  moderate  undulating  seas  broke  their 
waters,  partly  upon  shoals,  and  partly  upon  the  mainland.  The 
whole  appearance  of  Madras  was  exceedingly  attractive.  The  waves 
rolled  in  upon  a  fine,  hard,  sandy  beach,  while,  about  three  hundred 
yards  from  the  water,  there  extended  as  far  as  the  eye  could  reach, 
what  appeared  to  be  a  magnificent  row  of  buildings,  many  of  which 
were  ornamented  with  handsome  corridors  and  lofty  porticos  with 
columns  much  of  the  Grecian  order.  Some  of  these  were  the  public 
buildings,  the  Custom  House,  the  Post  Office,  etc.  A  large  propor- 
tion, however,  were  the  stores  of  the  wealthy  English  merchants,  the 
lower  parts  of  which,  termed  "go-downs,"  were  devoted  to  goods,  and 
the  upper  parts  to  the  transaction  of  business.  These  upper  parts 
were  tastefully  furnished,  and  generally  contained  at  least  one  large 
room  where  collations  were  regularly  served  for  the  refreshment  of 
the  occupants  and  also  of  visitors.  Few  of  these  gentlemen-merchants 
reside  in  the  city.  Their  homes  are  scattered  for  miles  south  of 
Madras  in  sight  of  the  beautiful  ocean,  and  a  most  excellent  road  ex- 
tends to  St.  Thomas's  Mountain,  hardly  visible  in  the  distance.  We 
found  these  country  residences  of  the  merchants  all  detached,  each  sur- 
rounded with  cultivated  ground  of  more  or  less  extent.  Hither  they 
retired  about  five  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  for  their  domestic  and 
social  pleasures.  The  background  of  the  city  of  Madras  was  not  very 
inviting.  There  were  wide  streets  and  low  houses,  doubtless  made 
of  brick  and  plaster.  Here  for  the  first  time  I  saw  Asiatic  cholera. 
Our  ship  had  hardly  anchored  before  the  bronze,  olive-colored  boatmen 
appeared  about  the  vessel.  Generally  they  came  singly,  each  in  a 
small  canoe.  These  canoes  appeared  like  little  logs  upon  the  water. 
They  were  governed  with  much  dexterity  by  a  single  paddle.  The 
men  soon  came  up  offering  fruit  and  vegetables  for  our  refreshment, 
themselves  needing,  and  presenting  therefore,  in  that  warm,  delightful 
climate,  no  other  dress  than  a  piece  of  muslin  about  the  loins. 
Myself  and  some  of  my  companions  took  lodgings  upon  the  shore. 
The  approach  to  the  land  was  quite  narrow.  The  boat  which  we 
engaged  was  a  very  long  double-ender,  and  very  deep;  probably  four  or 
five  feet  deep.     The  seats  were  divided  for  our  tawny  oarsmen,  the 


46  FAMILY  HISTORY  AND  EEMINISCENCES. 

oars  being  necessarily  very  long,  for  the  boat  was  high  out  of  the 
water,  x^s  we  approached  the  first  shoal,  over  which  the  sea  was 
furiously  breaking,  the  natives  broke  out  into  one  of  their  songs, 
and  with  much  effort  dashed  the  boat  in  a  straight  line,  crossed 
the  breakers,  and  soon  landed  us  high  upon  the  sand. 

We  were  greatly  attracted  by  the  beautiful  dress  of  the  upper-class 
natives.  The  white  turban  ornamented  the  head,  a  short-gown  of 
muslin  covering  the  breast  and  arms,  over  which  was  often  thrown 
gracefully  a  shawl;  around  the  waist  apparently  numerous  yards  of 
muslin  were  entwined,  reaching  in  folds  below  the  knees.  The  feet 
were  generally  protected  by  light  slippers.  This  simple  light  muslin 
dress,  contrasting  with  the  olive  complexion  of  the  Hindu,  gave  to 
the  wearer  a  dignified,  imposing  appearance.  There  were  always 
many  small  children  playing  about.  Their  games  and  wrestlings 
and  teasings  were  so  like  what  I  had  seen  at  home  that  I  had  to 
exclaim  that,  after  all,  human  nature  is  the  same  everA^where. 

Our  stay  at  Madras  extended  only  to  two  days,  our  super-cargo 
having  given  orders  for  goods  to  be  delivered  on  our  return.  We 
again  set  sail  to  the  north  in  the  month  of  January,  1819.  We  were, 
of  course  in  opposition  to  the  northeast  monsoon,  and  hence  our 
progress  was  necessarily  slow:  and,  as  tacking  was  necessary,  we 
went  by  a  very  zig-zag  course.  The  weather  and  the  temperature  were 
delightful.  The  number  of  our  company  was  augmented  by  the 
presence  of  an  Englisli  captain,  whose  manners  were  genteel,  and 
his  experience  and  information  extensive.  Hence  he  was  able  to 
contribute  much  to  our  pleasure.  In  about  three  weeks  we  reached 
the  mouth  of  the  Hoogley  Eiver,  which  is  one  of  the  larger  of  the 
several  streams  which  mark  out  the  delta  of  the  famous  river  Ganges. 
Here  we  took  our  pilot,  who  was,  I  believe,  an  American.  He  had 
some  twenty  years'  experience  in  his  business,  but,  like  all  the  white 
inhabitants  of  India,  he  still  anticipated  the  pleasure  of  going  home. 
The  ascent  of  the  river  was  easy,  and,  after  receiving  oranges, 
bananas,  etc.,  from  the  natives,  our  vessel  was  safely  moored  in  a 
parallel  line  with  others  at  Calcutta.  al)out  120  miles  from  the  bay, 
about  five  months  after  leaving  New  York.  Calcutta,  the  great  centre 
of  English  India,  is  located  on  flat,  barren  land  in  the  delta  of  the 
Ganges;  no  high  ground  l)eing  anywhere  visible.  It  is  on  the  east 
side  of  the  river.  Some  distance  from  the  city  is  the  magnificent  Fort 
William,  surrounded  by  a  large  esplanade,  which  is  kept  in  beautiful 
order.  The  fort  itself  is  in  every  respect  well-ordered.  A  fine  boulevard 


FAMILY  HISTORY  AND  REMINISCENCES.  47 

with  trees  serves  for  driving  and  other  recreations  toward  the  close 
of  the  day,  while  the  ears  of  the  passers-by  are  regaled  by  excellent 
music  from  the  military  band.  It  may  here  be  remarked  that  those 
who  blow  upon  wind-instruments  in  this  climate  seldom  last  more 
than  two  or  three  years.  The  southern  part  of  the  city  we  found 
occupied  by  the  EngHsh.  Their  houses  had  generally  a  very  imposing 
appearance.  They  were  buih  of  brick  and  roughcast,  with  stone  floors 
and  flat  roofs.  Many  were  ornamented  with  colonnades,  bay  windows, 
etc.  The  palace  of  the  Governor-General  of  India  is  an  imposing  mass 
of  buildings,  surrounded  by  handsome  grounds.  The  streets  of  the 
city  are  very  wide  and  smooth,  made  of  pounded  brick.  The  dust 
is  kept  doA\Ti  by  constant  wetting  by  the  water-carriers,  who  were 
continually  parading  the  avenue  with  their  goatskin  water  bags. 
Tanks  are  to  be  seen  at  frequent  intervals;  the  water  being  confined 
by  walls  of  masonry,  occasionally  broken  by  wide  stairways  going 
down  to  the  water's  edge.  We  found  these  tanks  very  numerous  in 
the  country.  They  were  doubtless  filled  during  the  rainy  season,  and 
maintained,  not  only  for  drinking-water,  but  for  the  preservation  of 
fish. 

All  the  northern  and  most  extensive  part  of  Calcutta  was  given  up 
to  business  and  to  the  native  population.  The  houses  of  the  Hindus 
are  very  small  and  simple  and  on  narrow  streets.  The  houses  of  the 
wealthy  Englishmen  are  large  and  showy,  as  stated  above,  and  all, 
or  nearly  all,  of  a  dull  yellow  or  cream  color.  The  houses  of  clerks 
of  the  departments  are  very  similar  to  our  own,  being  built  in  rows, 
often  three  stories  in  height.  The  business  houses  generally  intervened 
between  the  English  and  the  native  portions  of  the  city,  and  were 
intermingled,  as  we  saw  them,  with  houses  of  every  kind.  They  often 
combined  the  store-house  and  the  dwelling-house.  The  one  wliich  we 
occupied,  for  example,  was  a  large  quadrangle,  perhaps  sixty  by 
seventy  feet  in  size.  One  half  of  this  lot  in  front  was  surrounded 
by  a  high  wall,  through  which  was  a  gateway,  the  only  means  of  access 
to  the  house.  On  either  side  of  this  yard  was  a  piazza,  and  there 
were  low,  one-story  buildings  in  the  rear.  These  were  for  our 
numerous  servants,  and  for  protection  to  the  palanquins.  The  build- 
ing occupying  the  back  part  of  the  enclosure  was  of  two  stories,  the 
lower  one  being  as  broad  as  the  whole  lot.  It  was  termed  a  "go- 
down;"  that  is  a  storehouse  where  goods  were  stowed  and  where 
business  tranactions  were  accomplished.  The  second  story  was  much 
narrower  than  the  lower,  so  that  some  ten  or  twelve  feet  extended  from 


48  FAMILY  HISTORY  AND  EEMIXISCENCES. 

either  ?ide  of  the  story,  wliile  the  depth  extended  nearly  to  the  depth 
of  the  huikling.  In  front  of  this  was  a  veranda  to  which  was  attached 
the  staircase  from  below.  Over  the  second-story  was  a  flat  roof,  with  a 
parapet  wall,  to  which,  as  is  customary  in  the  east,  resort  was  had  in 
the  evening  for  purer  air,  for  retirement,  and  even  for  exercise.  The 
interior  of  the  second  story  was  composed  of  one  long  room  from  the 
front  to  the  rear,  constituting  the  dining-room,  parlor,  etc.  On  either 
side  were  three  rooms,  so  that  our  party  of  five  were  very  comfortably 
arranged,  each  with  his  bed-room.  Very  little  wood-work  was  per- 
ceptible. The  floors  were  all  covered  with  mortar,  and  then  again 
with  mats.  The  ^^nndows  were  the  usual  size,  and  furnished  with 
outside  Venetian  shutters.  The  bedsteads  had  generally  high  posts, 
so  as  to  furnish  a  support  for  a  canopy  and  for  gauze  curiains; 
mosquito  bars  being  here  an  absolute  necessity. 

The  native  shops  were  generally  congregated  in  rather  narrow  streets, 
contiguous  to  each  other.  They  were  termed  "bazaars."  Here  almost 
every  want  could  be  supplied,  although  much  tact  was  necessary  to 
procure  a  good  article  at  a  reasonable  price;  the  honesty  of  the  seller 
being  by  no  means  proverbial.  A  few  women,  and  these  only  of  the 
lower  class,  were  visible.  We  often  met  them  carrying  an  infant 
on  the  hip. 

As  soon  as  our  ship  was  fairly  moored,  about  the  5th  of 
February,  the  cabin  passengers  disembarked.  I  previously 
thought  that  it  would  not  become  a  freeman  and  an  Ameri- 
can to  be  carried  on  men's  shoulders;  but,  when  on  shore, 
under  a  burning  sun,  where  there  were  no  horses  or  carriages 
visible,  I  had  little  hesitation  in  throwing  myself  into  a  palanquin 
to  be  carried  with  considerable  rapidity  by  four  men  to  our  new 
dwelling.  Indeed,  I  must  say  that  I  found  it  decidedly  the  most 
pleasant  and  luxurious  mode  of  travelling  I  ever  enjoyed.  The 
palanquin  is  an  oblong,  rectangular  box,  about  six  feet  long,  with 
sliding  doors  upon  either  side.  It  stands  on  four  legs  about  eighteen 
inches  from  the  ground.  On  the  interior  the  bottom  is  covered  by  a 
morocco  mattress  with  morocco  pillows,  square  in  form,  and  supported 
by  a  strap  from  one  side  to  the  other  in  an  oblique  position  so  as  to 
sustain  the  head  and  shoulders  of  the  traveller.  The  rest  of  the  body 
and  the  limbs  are  extended  on  the  mattress.  There  are  small  windows 
of  glass  to  let  in  light  in  case  it  should  be  necessary  to  close  the 
doors.  At  each  extremity  of  the  palanc|uin,  about  a  foot  from  the 
roof,  a  broad  and  rounded  bar  projects,  convex  upon  the  upper  and 


FAMILY  HISTORY  AND  REMINISCENCES.  49 

lower  surfaces^  and  about  tAvo  feet  in  length.  These  rest  upon  the 
shoulders  of  the  bearers,  two  of  whom  take  their  places  in  front  and 
two  in  the  rear.  In  this  way  they  stand  close  to  each  ether  so  that 
they  execute  what  is  called  the  lock-step ;  the  left  limb  of  each  moving 
forward  simultaneously,  and  then  the  right  limb  in  a  similar  manner. 
This  is  done  with  great  precision  and  rapidity,  so  that  they  often 
travel  at  the  rate  of  five  miles  an  hour  with  a  kind  of  wriggling,  or 
pacing,  motion,  without  any  rising  or  falling  of  the  shoulders.  Con- 
sequently, the  occupant  of  the  carriage  is  never  jolted.  To  complete 
this  luxurious  arrangement  there  is  always  a  fifth  man,  or  head- 
bearer,  who  trots  alongside  bearing  a  tall  bamboo  parasol,  ready  to 
cover  the  traveller  when  passing  from  the  palanquin  to  the  house. 
Each  of  us  five  gentlemen  therefore  had  his  five  bearers  and  his  own 
palanquin.  The  head-bearer  was  also  regarded  as  our  constant 
attendant  in  the  house,  and  took  charge  of  the  bed-room,  keeping  the 
mosquitoes  off  in  the  day-time  by  means  of  small  brushes,  and 
tucking  in  the  mosquito-net  at  night,  being  very  careful  that  not 
one  of  these  blood-thirsty  creatures  should  get  within  the  precincts 
of  the  bar. 

One  night,  after  I  was  safely  tucked  in,  the  bearer  came  with 
home  letters,  and  I  found  it  hard  work  to  get  out  of  my  net. 

The  peculiar  superstitious  feeling  of  the  Hindus  did  not  permit 
them  to  wait  upon  us  at  table  where  animal  food  was  presented. 
They  themselves  live  almost  exclusively  upon  rice  and  curry,  occasion- 
ally indulging  themselves  in  the  luxury  of  some  small  fish.  Under 
these  circumstances  we  were  obliged  to  employ  Moormen,  who  were 
Mohammedans,  doubtless  the  descendants  of  the  former  conquerors  of 
Hindustan.  There  were  fine-looking  men,  thinner  and  taller  than 
the  Hindus.  Their  complexion  was  rather  lighter  than  theirs.  Their 
dress  of  muslin  was  similar,  but  they  seldom  wore  a  shawl.  Three  or 
four  of  such  men  as  these  constituted  our  waiters  and  cooks.  The 
cooking  process  must  have  been  skilfully  executed,  for  it  produced 
very  savory  results,  and  all  without  the  u*ual  appurtenances  of  a 
kitchen  fire;  a  little  brazier  of  lighted  charcoal  taking  its  place. 
Our  table  was  provided  with  the  usual  supply  of  vegetables;  but,  in 
addition,  and  almost  without  failure,  with  curried  rice  and  chicken, 
the  excellency  and  the  utility  of  which  can  be  comprehended  only  by 
those  who  have  visited  the  East.  The  curry  was  also  presented  to  us 
occasionally  in  the  form  of  soup.  It  was  very  hot  in  every  sense  and 
bore  the  name  of  "^mulikotawney."  It  would  generally  produce  an 
4 


50  FAMILY  HISTORY  AND  REMIXISCEXCES. 

internal  and  external  warmth,  followed  by  profuse  perspiration,  which 
does  not  seem  to  be  injurious,  but,  perhaps,  rather  useful  in  a  climate 
which  is  so  exhausting. 

During  the  month  of  February  the  weather  was  most  delightful. 
We  had  a  clear  sky  and  a  cool  atmosphere,  resembling  our  mildest 
weather  in  October.  There  was  never,  therefore,  a  necessity  for  fires, 
and  during  the  whole  winter  the  European  does  not  require  glass 
for  his  windows  or  woolen  clothing  for  his  person.  The  natives, 
however,  shiver  somewhat  from  the  cold,  having  no  other  covering 
than  their  thin  muslin  short-gown,  or  ofteuer  a  muslin  shawl.  Our 
bearers  were  furnished  with  a  white  muslin  turban  and  the  usual 
belt  over  the  loins  and  hips.  Besides  this  they  had  a  piece  of  muslin 
which  performed  the  double  duty  of  protecting  them  from  the 
insects  and  from  the  weather,  Wlien  they  were  called  to  action  the 
shawl  was  immediately  rolled  up,  and  rather  tightly  wrapped  around 
their  loins;  by  which  action  an  ocular  exhibition  was  given  of  what 
is  intended  by  the  phrase  "girding  up  the  loins."  Thus  equipped  they 
would  be  ready  to  travel  with  rapidity  under  a  tropical  sun,  and  ap- 
parently with  entire  impunity.  How  they  could  endure  what  they  did 
was  not  a  thing  easily  explained.  Their  skins  were  always  soft  and 
moist ;  but  there  was  seldom  any  profuse  perspiration,  even  after  a 
five-mile  run. 

The  weather  began  to  get  warm  in  March,  and  toward  the  equinox 
the  change  became  more  pronounced.  This  is  the  season  on  the  ocean 
for  storms,  hurricanes  and  tj'phoons;  and  during  the  same  wonderful 
period  the  change  is  accomplished  by  which  the  northeast  monsoon, 
which  gave  tranquil  and  delightful  weather,  ceases,  and  the  south- 
west monsoon  begins  its  course  of  six  months  duration,  during  which 
tempestuous  weather  is  often  experienced. 

The  months  of  April  and  May  were  excessively  hot.  It  would 
not  fully  express  the  actual  fact  to  say  that  they  were  warm.  The 
thermometer  was  often  at  106  or  110  degrees  in  the  shade,  and  140 
in  the  sunshine.  In  oup  rooms  at  night  it  would  rise  to  95  and  98 
degrees.  All  nature  withered ;  all  signs  of  vegetation  disappeared ; 
the  clay  soil  became  hardened  and  cracked.  The  native  people  seemed 
to  endure  it;  but  tlie  foreigner  became  listless  and  exhausted.  He 
had  to  confine  his  labors  to  the  early  and  later  parts  of  the  day; 
while  no  one  who  possessed  a  few  sous  would  venture  out  of  doors 
<?xeept  in  his  palanquin.  The  effect  of  the  heat  upon  my  own  person 
was  peculiar   as  well  as   exhausting.     At   first   the  effect   was   not 


FAMILY  HISTORY  AND  REMINISCENCES.  51 

unpleasant,  as  my  perspiration  and  other  secretions,  as  well  as  my 
appetite,  were  good.  Gradually,  however,  I  seemed  to  wither  and  lose 
my  appetite.  My  mouth  became  clammy  and  dry.  There  was  little 
or  no  perspiration  of  the  skin,  while  my  hepatic  and  other  functions 
were  equally  torpid.  Of  course,  I  became  emaciated  and  listless, 
but  without  any  positive  disease.  Under  these  circumstances  my 
professional  duties  gave  me  the  greatest  anxiety.  I  had  charge  of 
various  bilious  and  other  tropical  diseases;  and,  in  addition,  was 
alarmed  by  being  called  to  cases  of  malignant  cholera;  a  disease  the 
name  of  which  had  hardly  reached  Europe  or  America,  but  the 
ravages  of  which  have  since  been  so  fearful  in  every  part  of  the 
world;  while  the  nature  of  the  disease  and  the  proper  treatment  are 
still  the  subject  of  the  most  anxious  scientific  inquiry;  an  inquiry 
resulting  in  great  discrepancy  of  opinion. 

Among  the  first  observers  of  the  complaint  in  India  were  the 
French,  who  noticed  it  toward  the  Island  of  Ceylon,  and  from  its 
fatality  termed  it  "mort  de  chien." 

It  was  not,  however,  until  the  year  1817  that  it  prevailed,  to  the 
great  consternation  of  the  inhabitants,  at  Calcutta  and  throughout 
India.  Deaths  were  exceedingly  numerous,  and  nothing  availed  to 
arrest  the  progress  of  the  disease.  The  following  year  it  was  less 
general  and  less  severe;  and  now,  in  April,  1819,  although  there  was 
no  epidemic,  numerous  sporadic  cases  of  cholera  appeared.  My  own 
ship's  company,  and  those  of  other  Americans  were  among  the 
sufferers.  Although  I  had  the  opportunity  of  consulting  the  recent 
publications  on  the  subject,  yet  I  had  no  experience  with  the  com- 
plaint.   Accordingly  I  called  into  consultation  Dr.    ,    an 

elderly  English  physician,  who  had  been  very  attentive  to  Americans 
in  Calcutta,  and  who,  as  I  was  surprised  to  find,  had  attended  lectures 
at  our  University  in  Philadelphia.  Some  of  our  sailors  died;  others 
recovered.  I  providentially,  notwithstanding  all  my  labors  among  the 
others,  escaped  sickness.  The  weather  continued  very  hot,  although 
now  and  then  there  was  a  slight  thunder-shower ;  and  I  looked  forward 
with  desire  to  the  time  of  our  departure. 

Our  church  privileges  were  considerable  in  Calcutta.  There  were 
large  and  handsome  Episcopal  churches,  and  a  very  handsome  Scotch 
Presbyterian  church,  where  every  worshipper  was  supplied  with  a 
comfortable  armchair.  The  chairs  were  arranged  in  pews  so-called; 
marked,  however,  by  no  enclosure,  but  simply  by  a  rail;  while  the 
whole   congregation   were    fanned   by   two    large    punkas.      But    my 


53  FAMILY  HISTORY  AND  REMINISCENCES. 

favorite  place  was  a  small  Baptist  church;  doubtless  the  original 
dissenting  chapel  in  Calcutta,  the  pulpit  of  which  was  occupied  by 
the  celebrated  Dr.  Carey,  who,  in  early  life  brought  up  as  a  shoe- 
maker, became  one  of  the  first  missionaries  to  India.  This  was  at  a 
time  when  the  East  India  Company  did  not  countenance  the  propaga- 
tion of  the  Christian  religion.  Hence,  Dr.  Carey  had  to  establish 
himself  and  his  co-laborers  at  Serampore,  some  twelve  or  fifteen  miles 
up  the  river  and  under  French  domination.  Here  he  set  up  a  Baptist 
school  and  university,  and  had  the  honor,  I  believe,  of  being  the 
first  to  translate  the  Bible  into  the  Hindu  language. 

I  made  two  or  three  little  excursions  from  Calcutta.  One  of  these 
I  made  with  much  interest.  It  was  made  for  the  purpose  of  visiting 
a  young  Brahmin,  a  man  of  great  intelligence  and  much  cultivation, 
who  had  published  several  tracts  in  English,  as  well  as  in  his  native 
language,  on  religious  subjects,  which  were  indeed  so  excellent  that 
he  was  reputed  to  be  a  Christian,  I  found  him  at  his  country-place, 
about  five  miles  out  of  town,  and  spent  a  very  pleasant  hour  with 
him.  He  was  a  handsome-looking  man,  of  rather  light  olive  com- 
plexion. He  conversed  very  easily  in  English,  but  soon  dissipated  all 
hope  in  my  mind  of  his  being  a  convert.  He  claimed  everything  for 
the  ancient  Hindu  religion,  even  the  origin  of  Christianity,  intimat- 
ing that  Christ  was  a  Brahmin;  but  still  repudiating  the  idea  that 
idolatry  was  part  of  the  religion  of  his  people.  He  represented  it  as 
tolerated  for  the  sake  of  the  ignorant,  but  not  enjoined.  He  main- 
tained the  existence  of  one  universal  Spirit,  who  was  everywhere  and 
in  everything;  assuming  thus  a  pantheistic  position,  as  it  seemed  to 
me.  One  high  compliment,  however,  he  paid  to  Christianity.  He 
said  it  was  far  superior  to  any  other  religion  in  its  moral  precepts. 
These  precepts,  he  declared,  he  intended  to  translate  and  publish  for 
the  benefit  of  his  countrymen;  a  task  which  he  afterwards  executed. 
I  am  sorry  to  add  that  this  interesting  and  valuable  man,  after  a 
visit  in  England  for  the  second  time,  became  the  victim  of  smallpox. 

Another  excursion  was  down  the  River  Hoogley,  some  eight  miles 
to  the  Company's  Botanical  Gardens.  It  was  a  pleasant  excursion, 
as  we  passed  by  many  English  country-seats,  where  the  level  country 
was  broken  by  artificial  hills,  covered,  even  in  the  dry  season,  with 
green  grass,  kept  alive  by  constant  irrigation.  The  Gardens  were 
very  famous,  as  they  were  extensive  and  costly.  It  was  the  effort 
of  the  Company  to  have,  if  possible,  specimens  of  trees  from  all  parts 
of  the  world.     This  design  was,  of  course,  but  partially  carried  out. 


FAMILY  HISTORY  AND  REMINISCENCES.  63 

As  the  weather  was  very  hot  at  the  time  of  my  visit,  vegetation  was 
not  thriving.  I  was  gratified,  however,  to  see  the  celebrated  Banyan 
tree,  under  whose  extensive  horizontal  branches  even  regiments  of 
cavalry  may  be  sheltered;  the  branches  being  supported  by  occasional 
projections  rooted  in  the  ground  beneath.  Still  another  excursion  was 
up  the  river  to  Serampore,  the  seat  of  the  Baptist  institutions  above 
alluded  to.  On  the  opposite  side  of  the  river  was  the  Company's 
menagerie,  where  the  animals  were  accommodated  in  really  spacious 
apartments.  A  large  royal  tiger  especially  arrested  my  attention. 
On  our  passage  up  the  river  we  were  called  upon  to  witness  one  of 
those  horrible  immolations,  known  as  the  suttee,  or  burning  of  a  widow 
with  her  dead  husband;  a  practice  even  then  common  in  India,  but 
since  prohibited  by  the  British  authorities.  The  funeral  pyre  was 
erected  close  to  the  river,  and  around  it  the  poor  woman  was  con- 
ducted with  various  ceremonies  amidst  the  harsh  and  noisy  music 
of  drums  and  kettles.  She  made  no  resistance  as  she  was  laid  upon 
the  pyre,  where  she  was  immediately  concealed  from  view  by  the 
light  brush-wood  which  covered  her,  and  which  was  at  once  fired  on 
all  sides.  The  hope  was  felt  that  she  was  suffocated  with  the  smoke 
before  she  could  have  felt  the  flames. 

On  the  4th  of  June,  1819,  just  before  the  rainy  season  was 
anticipated,  our  moorings  were  loosed,  and  with  joy  and  gratitude  our 
vessel  was  directed  down  the  river.  It  was  a  beautiful  clear  day; 
the  atmosphere  was  delightful,  and  the  wind  and  tide  were  favorable 
for  our  descent.  Not  many  hours  afterwards  the  tide  changed,  and 
I  became  a  very  interested  spectator  of  the  velocity  and  power  of  the 
flood-tide  in  the  Ganges.  At  this  season  of  the  year  the  southwest 
monsoon  drove  all  the  waters  of  the  Bay  of  Bengal  to  its  upper, 
or  northern,  extremity.  The  wind  was  trifling,  but  no  ship  seemed 
capable  of  withstanding  the  impetus  of  the  waters.  The  vessels 
dragged  their  anchors,  although  they  were  buried  deep  in  the  mud. 
Our  vessel  retreated  before  the  torrent  in  opposition  to  our  two  large 
sheet-anchors.  Still  no  accident  occurred,  and  the  next  morning 
found  us  at  a  safe  anchorage  in  a  cove  on  the  inside  of  Sangur  Island, 
a  place  of  low  jungles  full  of  tigers,  where  our  pilot  had  thrust  us  to 
escape  the  effect  of  a  severe  gale  of  the  night  previous.  Soon  after- 
wards we  had  the  pleasure  of  seeing  a  very  large  three-decked  Com- 
pany's vessel.  She  had  just  escaped  the  storm,  which  had  driven 
her  from  the  bay  up  the  river.  This  vessel,  in  addition  to  her  usual 
number  of  officers  and  men,  had  on  board  the  Marchioness  of  Hastings, 


54  FAMILY  HISTORY  AXD  REMINISCENCES. 

wife  of  the  Governor-General,  accompanied  by  a  large  number  of 
young  ladies,  whose  appearance  was  pleasant,  especially  as  months  had 
elapsed  since  we  had  any  intercourse  with  ladies  of  our  own  race. 
These  girls  were  said  to  be  visitors  to  India,  that  they  might  discover 
their  brothers  or  cousins  who  had  preceded  them  to  this  heathen 
land.  The  weather  being  now  pleasant,  we  rounded  Sangur  Island 
and  pointed  our  vessel  to  the  south,  but  against  a  head-wind,  as  the 
southwest  monsoon  was  blowing.  Our  course,  therefore,  was  tedious, 
and  the  sea  became  tempestuous.  Our  ship,  no  longer  buoyant,  but 
heavily  laden  with  saltpetre  and  piece-goods,  rolled  badly  in  the 
seas.  Sudden  squalls  would  arise,  and,  occasionally,  as  we  landsmen 
thought,  threaten  to  capsize  us.  Nevertheless,  we  made  our  way  slowly 
to  Madras,  and  in  a  few  hours  took  on  board  the  goods  formerly 
ordered.  We  then  fairly  set  off  homeward,  but  still  with  head-winds 
and  stormy  seas,  so  that  by  the  time  that  we  had  gotten  well  into 
the  Indian  Ocean  our  vessel  was  evidently  strained,  especially  in  her 
upper  works.  The  pumps  did  not  indicate  much  water  in  the  hold,  but 
sea-water  was  beginning  to  ooze  between  the  planks  at  the  stern  of 
the  vessel,  and  appeared  upon  our  cabin  floor.  This  indication,  in 
professional  language,  was  bad;  and,  as  it  might  increase,  and  as 
we  were  still  to  expect  storms  off  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope,  it  was 
determined,  after  a  regular  consultation  held  by  the  proprietors  in 
the  cabin,  to  bear  off  more  to  the  westward,  and  make  for  the  Isle  of 
France.  This  change  of  course  was  accompanied  by  more  favorable 
weather  and  winds;  and,  after  many  days,  one  very  beautiful,  sun- 
shiny morning,  we  caught  sight  of  this  fair  island  on  its  eastern 
aspect.  As  the  port  of  St.  Louis,  its  best,  and  almost  only,  harbor, 
is  on  the  west  side,  we  had  to  describe  the  semi-circumference  of  the 
island.  As  our  charts  were  not  minute,  and  as  we  had  no  books  to 
direct  us,  the  question  was  agitated  whether  we  should  go  round  by 
the  north  or  by  the  south.  The  captain  decided  to  take  the  southern 
course,  which  we  afterwards  learned  was  not  usually  followed,  as 
dangerous  reefs  were  supposed  to  exist.  Ignorant  of  danger  we 
enjoyed  a  beautiful  sail  under  a  delightful  wind  along  the  coast  of 
the  rocky  and  picturesque  isle.  Toward  evening  we  made  the  outer 
bay  of  Saint  Louis  near  sundown,  and  then  sailed  toward  the  city, 
the  lights  of  which  could  be  seen  at  a  distance  in  the  twilight.  We 
hoisted  our  flag  for  a  pilot,  and  repeatedly  fired  our  gun,  but  got 
no  response.  It  was  now  dark,  and  the  captain  gave  orders  for  veer- 
ing the  vessel,  standing  out  to  sea  till  morning  under  easy  sail,  and 


FAMILY  HISTORY  AXD  REMINISCENCES.  55 

we  all  quietly  retired  for  supper.  This  was  hardly  ended  before  the 
ship  struck  and  shivered,  so  that  our  glasses  upon  the  table  were 
shaken.  Then  she  stood  still,  and  we  all  rushed  to  the  deck  and 
found  the  vessel  grinding  her  keel  upon  a  coral  bank.  The  cause  of 
the  accident  evidently  was  that,  although  the  vessel  was  headed  to 
the  west,  a  strong  current  had  carried  her  too  much  to  the  south. 
The  agitation  on  board  was  great,  and  for  the  first  time  our  excellent 
captain  lost  his  self-command.  He  soon  afterwards  recovered  him- 
self, ordered  the  sails  back,  and  sought  in  this  way  to  drive  the 
vessel  sternwards;  but  aU  without  effect.  A  boat  was  then  ordered 
over  and  manned  in  order  to  drop  an  anchor,  and  by  this  means  draw 
the  ship  away  from  the  rock  which  we  had  struck.  Unfortunately 
the  boat  proved  to  be  leaky,  and  could  not  be  kept  afloat,  even  when 
men  alone  were  on  board,  much  less  if  the  anchor  were  taken  in. 
We  had  thus  no  other  resource  than  occasionally  to  fire  a  gun  for 
assistance.  Our  situation  seemed  to  be  constantly  more  precarious, 
as  it  was  evident  that  the  tide  was  falling,  and  rocks,  before  not 
visible,  appeared  above  the  surface  of  the  water.  Our  vessel  was 
evidently  higher  from  the  water  as  the  tide  receded,  and  there  was 
danger,  therefore,  of  her  falling  over  upon  her  side,  in  which  case 
she  certainly  would  have  filled.  Happily,  however,  this  did  not 
occur.  The  wind  was  fortunately  bloAving  from  off  shore,  so 
that  there  was  very  little  sea.  Such  was  our  unpleasant  condition  for 
four  hours,  during  which  we  were  kept  in  a  state  of  considerable 
anxiety.  At  length  the  flood-tide  came  in ;  the  rocks  about  us  were 
again  submerged;  the  vessel  was  once  more  in  deep  water;  and 
suddenly  the  shout  was  heard,  "She  moves !"  True  enough,  the  ship 
was  moving,  and  all  were  in  ecstasy.  No  leak  was  detected.  The 
captain  ordered  the  jib  to  be  hoisted.  The  vessel  was  turned 
from  the  rocks,  and,  with  her  prow  directed  to  the  west,  we  hastened 
on  our  course  with  glad,  and  I  trust,  grateful  hearts. 

In  the  morning  we  turned  landwards,  took  a  pilot,  and  were  soon 
safely  moored  in  the  inner  port,  a  very  picturesque  spot,  surrounded 
by  high  hills,  at  the  foot  of  which  lay  the  town  of  St.  Louis. 

The  vessel  was  placed  under  the  direction  of  the  United  States 
Consul.  After  a  regular  survey  it  was  not  deemed  safe  to  continue 
our  voyage  without  examining  the  ship's  bottom.  As  there  were  no 
docks  at  this  port,  it  became  necessary  to  remove  all  of  her  cargo, 
and  take  down  the  upper  mast  that  she  might  be  brought  down  upon 
her  side  on  the  land.    It  was  found,  after  all,  that  no  serious  injury 


56  FAMILY  HISTORY  AND  REMINISCENCES. 

had  been  sustained.  Part  of  the  false  keel  was  found  to  have  been 
ground  off,  and  this,  of  course,  had  to  be  replaced,  and  all  her 
upper  works,  which  had  been  strained  in  previous  storms,  had  to  be 
caulked  and  painted.  This  was  a  tedious  process,  occupying  six  weeks, 
and,  as  part  of  the  cargo  had  been  damaged,  it  was  sold  to  the  amount 
of  twenty  thousand  dollars.  Under  these  circumstances  we  took  a 
house  on  shore,  and  passed  our  time  very  pleasantly.  The  weather 
was  beautiful,  cool  and  refreshing.  We  walked  and  rode  amidst 
the  valleys  and  the  hills  and  along  the  shore,  penetrating  as  far  as 
the  old  stone  church  described  in  the  romantic  story  of  "Paul  and 
Virginia."  We  found  this  building  greatly  dilapidated,  with  grass- 
grown  steps,  and  probably  unused. 

We  were  shown  two  small  monuments  in  a  gentleman's  garden, 
separated  from  each  other  by  a  water-tank.  These  were  said  to  be 
commemorative  of  the  two  romantic  lovers,  and  we  cut  off  portions 
of  bamboo  as  mementos  of  our  visit.  Just  north  of  St.  Louis  is 
a  beautiful  valley  which  appeared  to  be  shut  in  by  the  sloping  sides 
of  three  mountains.  It  was  employed  as  a  kind  of  plaza,  or  prome- 
nade, where  we  had  an  opportunity  of  seeing  the  inhabitants  on 
{Sundays  and  holidays  in  their  best  attire.  They  were  chiefly  French 
and  Eoman  Catholics,  as  the  island  had  been  settled  and 
governed  by  France,  as  the  name  implies.  It  was,  however,  at 
the  time  of  our  visit,  in  the  possession  of  the  English,  whose  civil 
and  military  officers  were  often  seen,  and  also  the  regiment  of  soldiers 
who  occupied  the  forts. 

At  the  Episcopal  Church  on  Sunday  a  body  of  troops,  without 
arms,  were  always  present.  They  conducted  themselves  with  great 
apparent  devotion. 

Standing  on  a  hill  I  observed  with  great  pleasure  the  regular 
march  of  these  men  in  close  column  as  they  advanced  with  movements 
so  nearly  simultaneous  that  there  seemicd  to  be  one  instead  of  many 
bodies. 

At  the  Isle  of  France  also  I  had  an  opportunity  for  the  first  time 
of  beholding  slavery,  which  had  been  introduced  into  the  island  under 
French  domination ;  and,  although  the  government  was  now  in  pos- 
session of  the  English,  the  mind  and  the  conscience  of  these  people 
had  then  not  been  illuminated  by  the  eloquence  and  moral  power 
of  a  Wilberforce. 

iSTot  only  were  the  most  menial  services  performed  by  slaves,  but 
the  labor  of  beasts  of  burden  was  often  executed  by  them,  and  we 


FAMILY  HISTORY  AND  REMINISCENCES.  57 

not  infrequently  saw  them  at  work  in  chains.  A  large  cart,  for 
example,  filled  with  stones,  which  required  at  least  two  horses  for  its 
removal,  was  pushed  and  dragged  by  human  beings  attached  to  the 
shafts,  wheels,  etc.  Water-carriers  were  sometimes  seen  with  iron  collars 
around  their  necks,  an  iron  chain  binding  two  of  them  together.  This 
was  probably  a  punishment.  Human  nature,  however,  wonderfully 
accommodates  itself  to  circumstances.  By  my  evening  rambles  in 
the  quarters  of  these  negroes  I  found  there  was  at  least  as  much  merri- 
ment and  dancing  to  the  sound  of  the  violin  as  among  their  English 
masters. 

The  time  of  our  departure  at  length  came.  The  ship  was  again 
floated,  her  masts  rigged,  and  her  sails  spread,  more  buoyant  than 
before,  as  part  of  her  cargo  had  been  sold.  On  a  fine  day,  about 
the  middle  of  September,  1819,  I  bade  farewell  to  the  beautiful  port 
of  St.  Louis.  We  made  a  good  offing  for  fear  of  hidden  rocks,  taking  a 
direct  course  to  the  south,  leaving  Borneo  (Bourbon?),  another  French 
island,  upon  the  right,  and  the  cliffs  of  the  Isle  of  France  astern.  We 
were  greatly  favored  by  wind  and  weather,  finding  once  more,  how- 
ever, a  rough  sea  south  of  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope;  so  rough  indeed 
that  water  frequently  was  flowing  on  the  decks  from  the  stem 
nearly  to  the  stern;  and  we  then  rejoiced  that,  in  consequence  of  our 
former  mishaps,  the  vessel  was  not  so  deeply  laden  as  when  we  left 
Calcutta. 

Some  days  after  leaving  the  Cape  in  the  South  Atlantic  we  spoke 

the  ship  ,  which  had  left  Calcutta  only  a  few  days 

after  we  did;  so  that,  while  we  were  safe  and  comfortable  for  six 
weeks  in  the  Isle  of  France,  she  was  buffeting  the  storms  off  the 
Cape  with  the  loss  of  some  of  her  masts  and  rigging. 

A  few  days  brought  us  to  the  southeast  trades,  which  drove  us 
rapidly  to  the  north,  and  allowed  us  to  take  a  distant  view  of  the 
Island  of  St.  Helena,  at  that  time  the  prison  of  N^apoleon  Bonaparta 

There  was  no  necessity  of  crossing  and  reerossing  the  ocean,  our 
course  being  north-northwest.  We  were  sailing  beautifully,  the  weather 
was  delightful,  and,  having  reached  the  latitude  of  Cape  Hatteras,  we 
•expected  in  two  or  three  days  to  be  in  the  Delaware.  But  disappoint- 
ment will  occur  upon  the  ocean.  Strong  northwest  wands  directly 
ahead  rendered  the  taking  in  of  sail  necessary,  and  drove  us  to 
the  northeast  along  the  edge  of  the  Gulf  Stream,  where  storm  after 
storm  occurred,  preventing  headway.  We  were  much  at  the  mercy 
of  the  current  for  a  time,  and,  to  the  best  of  our  reckoning,  were 


58  FAMILY  HISTORY  AND  EEMIXISCEXCES. 

carried  off  near  by  the  shoals  of  Narragansett.  The  sea,  disturbed  b}^ 
winds  and  currents,  was  very  irregular,  and  we  were,  therefore, 
exceedingly  uncomfortable.     It  was  cold  and  rainy  besides. 

On  Saturday,  the  18tli  of  December,  we  were  greatly  favored  in 
being  able  to  take  a  pilot  off  the  Delaware,  and  to  effect  an  anchorage 
within  the  Capes  at  the  "Buoy  of  the  Brown."  I  say  greatly 
favored,  for  outside  the  storm  raged  fearfull}^,  and  the  unfortunate 
vessel  we  spoke  in  the  South  Atlantic  was  driven  upon  the  New  Jersey 
coast,  near  Long  Branch,  where  the  captain  and  super-cargo,  who  were 
my  patients  and  companions  in  Calcutta,  perished,  as  well  as  most  of 
the  crew.  As  for  us,  we  rode  out  the  night  in  safety,  and  weighed 
anchor.  There  was  a  comfortable  pilot-boat  going  up  the  river,  and 
myself  and  Mr.  Guest  and  Mr.  Foster  embarked  on  board  of  her, 
and  arrived  at  the  Navy  Yard  early  on  Sunday.  I  jumped  to  the 
shore  with  alacrity  and  with  joy,  but  still  excessively  anxious,  for 
nearly  twelve  months  had  elapsed  since  I  had  heard  from  home. 
Where  was  my  mother?  I  did  not  dare  to  go  to  her  house,  but  took 
my  way  to  my  uncle  Andrew's,  the  old  homestead  on  Arch  Street, 
where  my  arrival  created  much  surprise.  I  was  glad  to  find  that  all 
my  relatives  were  well,  and  that,  although  we  were  four  months 
after  our  time,  they  had  not  had  many  evil  forebodings  respecting 
us.     My  mother  was  well,  but  had  changed  her  abode. 

In  1815,  upon  the  graduation  of  my  brother  from  college,  she  had 
once  more  resumed  housekeeping  in  Philadelphia,  and  established 
herself  in  Tenth  Street,  below  Chestnut.  The  following  year,  how- 
ever, she  removed  to  another  house  in  Sansom  Eow  on  Walnut  Street, 
below  Eighth.  She  there  had  Miss  Susan  B.  Smith  and  Mrs.  Gray- 
dou,  the  widow  of  Alexander  Graydon  and  sister  of  Mrs.  Andrew 
Bayard,  as  her  companions :  while  Mr.  Eichard  H.  Bayard,  my  college 
classmate  had  opened  his  .office  in  the  front  room.  I  was  often 
surprised  at  the  energy  manifested  by  mother,  and  the  spirit  she 
maintained  amidst  all  the  reverses  and  anxieties  which  accompanied 
her  various  positions,  not  only  discharging  so  admirably  her  various 
duties  to  her  children,  but  those  which  she  owed  to  the  various  institu- 
tions with  which  she  was  connected;  ever  enjoying  the  society  of  her 
friends,  and  taking  a  deep  interest  in  civil  and  political  affairs. 
Her  patriotic  feelings,  imbibed  in  early  life  in  the  cradle  of  American 
liberty  and  on  the  knees  of  General  Warren,  never  deserted  her.  She 
took  broad  and  large  views  of  subjects,  deprecated  the  contentions  and 
virulence  of  parties,  and  was  a  great  admirer  of  the  institutions  of 


FAMILY  HISTORY  AND  REMINISCEXCES.  59 

her  country,  especially  as  developed  and  enforced  by  President  Wash- 
ington. The  contrary  policy,  introduced  by  Jefferson,  she  could  not 
admire,  and  regretted  exceedingly  the  disposition  then  manifested  to 
encourage  the  immigration  of  foreigners  to  this  country,  who  were 
without  morals  or  education,  foreseeing  the  evils  which  must  result 
from  such  an  admixture  with  republicanism,  often  saying  that  she 
would  not  live  to  see,  but  that  I  would,  the  bad  effects  of  this  adultera- 
tion. The  evil  has  grown  upon  us,  and  is  still  increasing,  inasmuch  as 
the  full  right  of  American  citizenship  is  given  to  those  who  are 
not  only  ignorant  of  our  institutions,  but  who  cannot  read  or  write, 
or  even  understand  our  language.  Nothing  but  a  moral  and  religious 
education  of  the  masses  can  act  as  an  antidote  for  the  poison  which 
now  infects  the  body  politic  of  our  beloved  country. 

In  a  pecuniary  point  of  view  the  results  of  the  voyage  were 
unfortunate.  The  mercantile  world  had  much  collapsed.  The  goods 
I  brought  were  not  all  salable ;  and,  when  the  interest  and  the  insur- 
ance were  paid  to  the  officers  upon  their  bonds,  little  or  nothing  was 
left.  The  cherished  thought  then  of  a  European  visit,  with  all  its 
advantages,  for  which  such  risks  and  sacrifices  had  been  made,  had 
to  be  abandoned.  And  so  it  came  to  pass  that,  without  professional 
patronage,  and  with  an  empty  purse,  I  had  to  undertake  the  duties 
of  my  profession.  Still  I  had  my  mother,  she  was  everything;  as 
full  of  energy  and  spirit,  although  physically  not  as  strong  as  formerly. 
I  was  very  kindly  received  by  the  heads  of  the  profession,  and  I  had 
many  friends.  I  secured  the  house  Xo.  181  Walnut  Street  (now 
No.  715),  part  way  between  Seventh  and  Eighth,  to  which  we  removed 
in  a  few  weeks.  It  was  the  third  occupied  by  us  in  that  row.  I 
took  the  front  room  as  my  office,  and  began  practice  in  the  year 
1820.  Mrs.  Graydon  and  Miss  Smith  remained  with  us.  Soon  after- 
wards they  were  joined  by  Mrs.  Ingersoll,  another  sister  of  Mrs. 
Bayard,  and  mother  of  Charles  and  Joseph  Ingersoll,  then  leading 
lawyers  in  the  city.  Soon  after  taking  possession  of  my  office  I  was 
complimented,  and,  of  course,  encouraged,  by  visits  from  Chapman, 
Dewees  and  others  of  my  teachers,  and  afterwards  by  invitations 
to  their  social  parties.  There  are  turning-points  and  incidents  in 
every  man's  life  on  which  his  happiness  and  fortune  seem  to  turn. 
One  such  turning-point  in  my  life  was  the  unexpected  visit  of  a 
young  physician  whom  I  barely  recollected  as  senior  pupil  when  I 
commenced  the  study  of  medicine,  and  who  afterwards  went  to  Europe. 
This  was  Dr.  Edward  Barton,  a  man  of  great  intellectual  capacity, 


60  FAMILY  HISTORY  AND  REMINISCENCES. 

refinement  and  cultivation,  who  had  been  very  carefully  educated  in 
Connecticut  by  the  Abbd  Tisserant.  To  me  he  was  always  remarkably 
affable  and  pleasant,  proving  to  be  one  of  my  best  friends,  He  was 
naturally,  however,  very  reserved,  and,  although  generally  much  liked, 
somewhat  satirical  in  dealing  with  the  faults  and  weaknesses  of 
others.  He  was  also  the  subject  of  much  morbid  feeling.  This  was 
partly  owing  to  the  circumstances  in  which  he  was  placed.  He  was 
the  son  of  Lord  Bolingbroke,  who  had  married  a  well-educated  and 
excellent  German  lady,  by  whom  he  had  three  sons.  These  were  sent 
over  to  America  for  their  education  under  the  Ahh6  above  mentioned.* 
I  find  in  an  old  book,  "Memoirs  of  Eminent  Physicians,"  the 
following :  "Edward  Barton  was  under  the  immediate  care  and  super- 
intendence of  the  Abb^  Tisserant,  a  French  gentleman  of  uncom- 
mon attainments  and  exemplary  piety,  and  of  peculiar  sweetness  of 
manner  and  disposition.  To  the  parental  care  of  this  accomplished 
scholar  Barton  was  indebted  for  an  excellent  foundation  in  classical 
learning,  which  was  built  up  with  singular  success.  After  the  usual 
course  of  academical  instruction,  he  passed  some  time,  with  great 
advantage  to  himself  and  with  usefulness  to  others,  at  the  Roman 
Catholic  College  in  Baltimore,  where  his  classical  education  may  be 
considered  as  having  been  completed.  His  views  relative  to  the  busi- 
ness of  life  were  directed  to  the  profession  of  medicine.  He  attended 
a  course  of  lectures  delivered  by  Dr.  Smith  at  Hanover,  N.  H.  He 
came  to  Philadelphia,  and,  as  an  immediate  pupil  of  Dr.  Physick, 
passed  through  the  course  of  medical  studies  required  by  the  Univer- 
sity, receiving  his  degree  with  peculiar  favor  and  approbation  from 
his  instructors.  Soon  after  he  graduated  Dr.  Barton  went  to  Europe, 
and  there  devoted  himself  assiduously  to  the  attainment  of  knowledge 
which  he  could  easily  command  in  Great  Britain  and  France. 
He  returned  to  the  United  States  in  a  few  years,  and  settled  in  Phila- 
delphia for  the  purpose  of  practicing  physic  and  surgery.  When  his 
ambition  was  most  ardent,  and  his  prospects  most  flattering,  it  pleased 
God  to  visit  him  with  a  pulmonary  affection,  from  which  he  and  his 
friends  apprehended  his  speedy  dissolution.  Under  the  advice  of  his 
friend  and  preceptor.  Dr.  Physick,  he  sailed  from  Philadelphia  on 
the  4th  of  August,  1831,  for  Lisbon;  and  from  that  port  he  went 

♦Note  by  Mrs.  H.  Lenox  Hodge: — "Lord  Bolingbroke  married  this  German  lady, 
and  afterwards  deserted  her,  and  married  in  England  a  lady  of  wealth  and  rank. 
Leing  off  and  on  in  America,  he  left  his  three  sons  here.  On  one  of  these  occasions 
he  lived  for  some  time  in  Elizabeth,  N.  J.,  and  my  grandmother,  Abby  Howland 
Woolsey,  knew  him,  and  mentions  him  afterwards  in  her  letters  from  England." 


FAMILY  HISTORY  AND  EEMINISCENCES.  61 

to  Genoa;  at  which  place  his  eyes  were  closed  in  death  by  strangers. 
He  was  in  a  sick  room  vigilant,  tender,  untiring,  faithful  to  the  last. 
His  mind  was  of  too  lofty  a  character  to  sufEer  him  to  avail  himself 
of  adventitious  circumstances  to  obtain  the  favor  of  the  community. 
He  scorned  even  the  appearance  of  seeking  to  earn  that  favor  by  any 
other  means  than  by  his  merit.  We  will  venture  to  assert  that  the 
impressions  which  he  made  upon  the  hearts  of  those  who  enjoyed  his 
friendship  will  never  be  efEaced."  Dr.  Chapman  wrote  in  a  note  to 
this:  ''He  was  a  man  of  no  ordinary  talent,  highly  cultivated  by  a 
liberal  education,  of  great  proficiency  in  his  profession,  and  with  an 
exquisite  sense  of  honor  which  'feels  a  stain  like  a  wound.'  "* 

Colonel  Chester,  of  Wethersfield,  was  the  guardian  of  Lord  Boling- 
broke's  sons,  and  hence  in  this  city  the  colonel's  son-in-law,  Charles 
Chauncey,  paid  great  attention  to  young  Barton,  and  made  him  the 
physician  of  the  family  as  assistant  to  Dr.  Physick,  Under  the 
patronage  of  Mr.  Chauncey,  and  also  of  Mr.  Tangu,  an  Englishman, 
and  the  Librarian  of  the  Philosophical  Society,  Dr.  Barton 
obtained  an  excellent  social  position,  and  made  a  favorable  com- 
mencement of  his  professional  business.  Such  was  the  friend  so 
unexpectedly  offered  to  me.  As  I  had  nothing  to  do,  I  immediately 
accompanied  him  in  his  visits  as  Dispensary  Physician,  thus  increasing 
my  practical  knowledge. 

Another  compliment  I  received  was  from  my  excellent  friend, 
the  widow  of  my  late  preceptor.  Dr.  Wistar,  who  adopted  me  as  her 
physician  and  friend;  a  valuable  relationship  which  I  sustained  for 
many  years  until  the  time  of  her  death.  This  event  served  also  to 
bring  me  into  intimate  connection  with  another  of  my  former 
teachers.  Dr.  Thomas  C.  James,  a  most  excellent  and  erudite  pro- 
fessor in  the  University,  who  always  extended  to  me  professional 
confidence  and  friendly  attentions;  so  that  here  also  I  eventually 
obtained  the  position  of  family  physician.  Under  such  circumstances 
as  these  I  commenced  the  practice  of  medicine  in  my  native  city  with 
much  spirit,  and  even  with  hopeful  aspiration  for  the  future.  I 
became  a  candidate  as  physician  for  the  Southern  Dispensary,  then 
situated  in  Catharine  Street,  between  Third  and  Fourth.  This  was 
at  a  time  when  there  were  no  cars,  cabs  or  omnibuses  in  the  city  to 
get  to  the  place.  A  vacancy  having  occurred  in  the  fall  of  1820,  I  was 
appointed  as  physician,  and  immediately  entered  upon  the  duties 
incident  to  the  position.     The  district  was  then  the  most  southern 

Philadelphia  Journal  of  Medical  and  Physical  Sciences,  Vol.  5. 


62  FAMILY  HISTORY  AND  REMINISCENCES. 

in  the  city,  extending  westward  from  the  Delaware.  It  comprised,  in 
name  at  least,  the  most  degraded  portion  of  the  city.  The  work 
which  I  thus  undertook  proved  almost  too  arduous  and  exposing.  In 
the  latter  part  of  November  I  was  taken  sick  with  typhoid  fever, 
which  confined  me  for  a  month  or  six  weeks,  during  which  I  was 
attended  most  assiduously  by  Dr.  Edward  Barton  and  Dr.  Physick. 
I  did  not  return  to  my  duties  in  the  Southern  Dispensary,  having 
received  a  more  eligible  position  as  physician  to  the  City  Dispensary, 
located,  as  it  still  is,  in  Fifth  Street,  opposite  Independence  Square, 
and  next  door  to  the  building  occupied  by  the  Mercantile  Library. 
My  district  was  the  best,  extending  from  Chestnut  to  Vine  Street, 
while  westward  from  the  Delaware  I  occasionally  went  as  far  as  what 
are  now  Fifteenth  and  Sixteenth  Streets.  The  work  which  I  thus  under- 
took was  family  business,  and  therefore  much  diverse  from  what  I 
had  hitherto  been  more  familiar  with  in  hospitals,  almshouses,  etc. 
For  three  months  every  year  I  was  extensively  engaged  in  this  out- 
of-door  practice,  while,  at  other  periods,  with  less  practical  work  to  do, 
I  had  time  for  study,  reading  and  recreation.  In  the  early  autumn 
of  1820  my  friend.  Dr.  William  E.  Horner,  the  prosector  of  the 
Anatomical  Chair,  was  appointed  Assistant  Professor  of  Anatomy  to 
Dr.  Physick.  He  was  married  to  Miss  Elizabeth  Welsh,  daughter  of 
Samuel  Welsh,  a  thriving  merchant  in  Philadelphia.  The  following 
summer  of  1821,  Dr.  Horner  determined  to  visit  Europe  for  his  im- 
provement, and  requested  me  to  take  charge  of  his  anatomy  class, 
which  was  also  under  the  instruction  of  Dr.  Chapman  and  Dr.  Dewees. 
It  was  familiarly  known  as  "Chapman's  private  class."  In  May, 
therefore,  I  made  my  first  essay  in  teaching,  carrying  it  on  until  the 
last  of  September.  This  experience,  of  course,  was  serviceable  as 
giving  more  precision  to  my  studies,  and  more  confidence  in  myself. 
About  this  time  the  health  of  my  excellent  friend.  Dr.  Barton,  was 
rapidly  declining.  Dr.  Physick,  as  detailed  above,  advised  him  to 
abandon  his  business,  and  resort  to  the  southern  part  of  Europe.  He 
sailed,  therefore,  for  Lisbon,  as  the  voyage  was  then  favorable.  His 
complaints,  however,  became  aggravated,  and  it  was  with  difficulty  that 
he  reached  Genoa,  where  he  died  among  strangers.  One  of  my  own 
friends,  Mr.  Ashbcl  G.  Ralston,  paid  him  every  kind  attention,  and  later 
forwarded  his  effects  to  me,  as  he  had  expressed  a  desire  that  his 
medical  library  and  personal  property  should  come  into  my  possession. 
This  loss  to  me  was  very  great.  Prior  to  Dr.  Barton's  departure  he 
had  introduced  me  to  Mrs.  Emily  Phillips,  who  was  intimate  with 


FAMILY  HISTORY  AND  REMINISCENCES.  63 

Mr.  Charles  Chauncey,  and  indeed  with  all  the  Chester  family,  who 
were  originally  from  Wethersfield,  Conn.,  where  Mrs.  Phillips  herself 
was  born.  This  lady  had  taken  Dr.  Barton  not  only  as  a  physician, 
but  almost  as  a  son.  She  was  a  lady  of  great  intellectual  culture, 
warm  imagination,  and  a  very  nervous  temperament,  and  yet  possess- 
ing admirable  judgment  and  prudence ;  traits  not  often  united  in  the 
same  person.  She  lived  with  her  husband  in  New  Orleans,  but  was 
on  a  visit  to  her  friends  North.  He  died,  and  their  small  property 
nearly  disappeared.  She  had,  however,  nimierous  friends,  and  through 
them  was  introduced  to  Dr.  James  Brown,  then  professor  in  a  medical 
school  at  Lexington,  Ky.  Dr.  Brown  immediately  committed  to  her 
care  his  only  daughter,  Susan  Brown,  now  Mrs.  Ingersoll.  This  child 
was  then  a  girl  of  eleven  or  twelve  years  of  age.  She  was  placed  at  the 
school  of  Madame  Segoigne,  which  was  then  in  high  repute.  Mrs. 
Phillips  boarded  in  the  family,  and  was  charged  with. the  maternal 
superintendence  of  her  protege. 

On  the  departure  of  Dr.  Barton,  from  Philadelphia,  Mrs.  Phillips 
gave  me  her  confidence  and  affection,  to  which  I  have  been  most 
deeply  indebted.  Her  devotion  to  me  continued  for  many  years,  and  it 
was  only  terminated  by  her  death,  which  occurred  at  Wethersfield, 
Conn.,  which  M^as  the  place  of  her  birth. 

Nothing  of  importance  occurred  during  the  succeeding  year,  1822. 
I  might  mention,  however,  that  Dr.  William  Gibson,  Professor  of 
Surgery,  invited  me  this  year  to  join  him,  with  the  late  Dr.  John 
Rodman,  in  the  formation  of  a  private  medical  class.  This  invitation, 
for  some  prudential  reasons,  I  thought  best  to  decline.  My  ac- 
ceptance would  probably  have  interfered  with  a  much  more  advan- 
tageous offer,  made  to  me  the  next  year,  to  which  I  will  now  refer. 
In  March,  1823,  Dr.  Chapman,  who  was  always  very  popular,  finding 
that  his  private  class  of  pupils  had  greatly  enlarged,  determined  to  give 
them  a  more  extensive  and  efficient  course.  He  accordingly  organized 
the  class  into  a  Medical  Institute,  and,  in  addition  to  the  original 
teachers.  Chapman,  Dewees  and  Horner,  he  selected  Dr.  Samuel 
Jackson  to  be  lecturer  on  Materia  Medica;  Dr.  John  Ball  to  be 
lecturer  on  the  Institutes  of  Medicine,  and  Dr.  John  K.  Mitchell  to 
be  lecturer  on  Chemistry.  In  the  May  following  my  excellent  friend, 
Dr.  Horner,  called  upon  me  and  offered  me,  in  the  name  of  Dr. 
Chapman,  the  position  of  Lecturer  on  Surgery.  This  was  indeed 
a  surprise ;  and,  to  myself  at  least,  it  is  no  wonder  that  I  hesitated,  as  I 
had  not  devoted  special  attention  to  this  branch,  and  as  I  was  not  in- 


64  FAMILY  HISTORY  AND  REMINISCENCES. 

tending  to  be  an  operative  surgeon.  I  took  a  few  days  to  consider  the 
question  and,  having  received  some  encouragement  from  Dr.  Horner, 
especially  as  to  the  onerous  character  of  my  duties,  I  determined  to 
accept  the  proffered  position.  This  was  the  second  important  turn- 
ing-point, or  incident,  in  my  life;  as,  had  I  declined  this  offer,  I 
should  probably  never  have  been  a  teacher,  and  might  not  have  suc- 
ceeded as  a  practitioner.  My  mind  and  my  time  were  now  fully 
occupied  in  preparatory  studies  for  my  lectures,  and  in  their 
preparation,  as  I  wrote  them  out  in  full.  I  once  more  experienced 
the  exhaustive  effect  of  mental  labor.  Still,  as  I  had  exercise  out- 
of-doors,  no  evil  consequences  resulted.  My  success  as  a  teacher  was 
better  than  I  anticipated,  especially  as  I  found,  after  some  experience 
in  study,  that,  as  Dr.  Horner,  expressed  it,  I  knew  more  than  the 
students,  and  realized  the  important  truth  that  to  teach  is  the  best 
way  to  learn. 

Another  event  of  great  importance  occurred  to  me  in  September  of 
this  year,  1823.  A  vacancy  occurred  in  the  medical  department  of  the 
Almshouse  Hospital,  in  Spruce  Street,  above  Tenth,  in  consequence 
of  the  sudden  death  of  one  of  our  most  promising  physicians.  Dr.  J. 
B.  Lawrence.  By  the  influence  of  my  friend,  Dr.  Chapman,  and  also 
especially  of  Dr.  J.  K.  Mitchell,  I  received  the  appointment  of  attend- 
ing physician;  a  very  responsible  and  arduous  position.  This  proved 
to  be  particularly  so  during  my  first  year  of  duty;  for  there  was  an 
endemic  in  the  hospital  of  typhus  fever,  in  consequence  of  the  intro- 
duction of  German  immigrants,  who  had  just  arrived,  suffering  from 
ship-fever.  The  atmosphere  of  the  house  became  impregnated,  so 
that  comparatively  few  escaped  the  poison.  Even  the  nurses  and 
resident  students  were  affected,  and  one  of  them  died.  The  mortality 
in  the  house  was  great. 

One  peculiar  advantage  of  my  position  at  the  Almshouse,  in  addi- 
tion to  that  of  mere  practice,  was  the  privilege  it  gave  me  of  acting 
as  clinical  teacher.  The  practice  at  that  time  was  for  the  student  to 
accompany  the  physician  through  the  wards,  where  it  was  his 
business  carefully  to  examine  the  symptoms  and  the  history  of  the 
case,  and  thence  to  deduce  the  pathology,  and  to  state  the  indications 
for  treatment  resulting.  This  practice  was  very  improving,  and  neces- 
sitated, what  to  me  was  very  desirable,  the  habit  of  extemporaneous 
speaking. 

In  1824  (  ?),  as  it  was  impossible  for  me  to  lecture  upon  the  principles 
of  surgery  and  also  upon  the  operations  during  the  short  session.  Dr. 


i^AMILY  HISTORY  AND  REMINISCENCES.  65 

Thomas  Harris  was  appointed  lecturer  upon  operative  surgery.  He  was 
originally  from  Chester  Count.y,  but  was  now  a  leading  surgeon  in 
the  United  States  iSTavy^  and  had  become  a  resident  of  Philadelphia. 
He  married  one  of  my  cousins,  Jane  Hodgdon,  and  afterwards  became 
chief  of  the  Medical  Bureau  of  the  Navy,  and  was  stationed  at 
Washington.  After  the  death  of  his  first  wife  he  married  Miss 
Hettie  McPherson,  granddaughter  of  the  late  Bishop  White.  She 
was  a  lady  of  much  talent  and  character,  exerting  great  influence  in 
the  social  circles  of  Philadelphia.  The  Medical  Institute,  thus  rein- 
forced, continued  to  exercise  an  excellent  influence  upon  medical 
students,  whose  time,  instead  of  being  lost  in  the  summer  season, 
became  fully  occupied  with  attendance  upon  lectures  and  at  the 
hospitals. 

My  private  practice  increased,  although  very  gradually,  and  the 
pecuniary  reward  was  very  small. 

No  further  incident  in  my  professional  course  of  special  moment 
occurred  for  several  years.  My  friendship,  however,  for  Mrs.  Phillips 
became  more  intimate,  and  about  this  time  her  protege,  Miss  Brown, 
left  school  and  went  with  her  uncle,  Mr.  Tames  Brown,  to  Paris.  Mrs. 
Phillips  was  therefore  only  occasionally  in  Philadelphia  at  this  time, 
but  she  favored  me  with  frequent  epistles  replete  with  good  thoughts 
and  good  feeling,  and  enlivened  with  imagination  and  culture.  In 
the  last  of  July,  1827,  I  made  an  arrangement  with  my  cousin,  James 
Bayard,  to  recreate  ourselves  a  few  weeks  in  an  excursion  to  the 
l!>Jorth  Eiver  and  Niagara.  I  rceived  a  letter  from  Mrs.  Hammond, 
of  Westchester,  N.  Y.,  stating  that  Mrs.  Phillips  was  very  ill  at  her 
house  and  exceedingly  anxious  to  see  me.  I  therefore  anticipated  my 
proposed  departure,  and  went  to  New  York.  Procuring  a  vehicle  I 
went  about  twelve  miles  into  Westchester  and  drove  to  the  beautiful 
mansion  of  Mr.  Hammond,  where  everything  was  very  delightful  and 
luxurious.  I  was  then  introduced  to  Mrs.  Hammond,  the  daughter 
of  Mr.  John  Aspinwall,  Sr.,  of  Flushing,  N.  Y.  She  was  a  tall,  fine- 
looking  woman  at  this  time,  very  dignified  and  lady-like  in  her 
appearance,  her  stateliness  perhaps  a  little  augmented  by  a  cus- 
tom, not  very  uncommon  in  those  days,  of  wearing  a  white 
turban.  She  was  to  me  very  polite.  After  I  had  visited  my  friend 
and  patient,  and  contributed  to  her  comfort,  I  was  taken  into  the 
parlor,  and  dinner  was  soon  announced.  I  was  introduced  to  Mr. 
Hammond,  and  to  his  daughter,  Mary  Hammond,  and  also  to 
Margaret  E.  Aspinwall.  After  our  repast  was  finished  the  young 
5 


QG  FAMILY  HISTORY  AND  EEMINISCENCES. 

ladies  took  me  iu  charge,  and  we  strolled  in  the  garden  and  on  the 
lawn,  wliich  extended  down  to  the  East  Eiver.  Beginning  at  the 
northern  extremity  of  the  lawn  was  Throgmorton's  Neck,  which 
stretches  out  into  Long  Island  Sound.  It  is  now  (1873)  owned 
and  occupied  by  the  United  States  as  a  fortress.  This  most  delightful 
visit  was  terminated  by  a  solitary  and  dark  drive  back  to  the  city. 
I  had  learned  from  Mrs.  Phillips  that  she  had  been  long  intimately 
acquainted  with  Mrs.  Hammond,  and  with  her  brother,  Mr.  John 
Aspinwall,  Jr.,  of  New  York,  and  also  with  his  wife,  who  was  Miss 
Susan  Howland.  Indeed  her  friendly  intercourse  had  extended  to 
most  of  the  Howland  family,  especially  to  Mrs.  George  Woolsey  and 
Mrs.  James  Eoosevelt,  with  whom  she  had  become  acquainted  at 
Norwick,  Conn.,  as  the  family  of  Howlands  have  long  resided  in 
that  place.  Of  course,  Mrs.  Phillips  took  a  great  interest  in  the 
daughter  of  Mr.  John  Aspinwall,  always  speaking  of  Margaret  in 
the  most  exalted  manner;  a  circumstance  which  confirmed  my  pre- 
possessions in  her  favor. 

I  met  Mr.  Bayard  in  New  York,  and  together  we  ascended  the 
noble  Hudson  Eiver  by  steamboat,  admiring  its  picturesque  scenery 
as  we  went,  and  arriving  at  Albany  the  next  day.  As  Mr.  Bayard  had 
some  acquaintance  with  the  family  of  Stephen  Van  Eensselaer,  the 
patroon,  he  ventured  to  introduce  me  to  his  house,  where  we  spent 
a  pleasant  afternoon  and  evening.  The  building  was  very  large  and 
commodious.  I  think  it  was  but  two  stories  in  height,  but  the  hall 
and  rooms  were  of  great  size,  and  adorned  with  scenery  paper,  so 
that  these,  and  indeed  the  whole  building,  had  an  antiquated,  and 
to  me  a  very  novel,  appearance. 

Miss  Catherine  A^an  Eensselaer  was  then  there  in  all  the  elegance  of 
young  womanhood,  and  greatly  admired  by  innumerable  suitors.  She 
afterwards  married  Gouverneur  Willcins,  and  still  lives  as  his  widow. 
There  were  no  railroads  in  those  days.  Mr.  Bayard  and  myself  took 
easy  stages  from  Albany,  and  spent  a  pleasant  afternoon  at  the  beau- 
tiful town  of  Waterford.  We  visited  also  the  falls  on  the  Mohawk. 
These  have  furnished  water-power  for  several  mills.  In  a  short  time 
we  found  ourselves  at  Utica,  a  handsome,  well-arranged  town,  with 
wide  and  shady  streets.  It  was  not  at  that  time  a  large  place.  We 
took  a  stage  to  Trenton  Falls,  where  we  spent  a  night  in  an  excellent 
and  famous  hotel.  The  next  morning  we  descended  into  a  ravine 
of  the  precipitous  stream,  which  for  nearly  two  miles  tumbles  over 
high  rocks,  and  sometimes  down  into  deep  caverns,  while  in  other 


FAMILY  HISTORY  AND  REMINISCENCES.  67 

places  it  spreads  itself  out  like  a  broad  and  quiet  lake,  bounded  on 
either  side  by  banks  1800  feet  high,  covered  with  beautiful  verdure. 
The  explorer  had  to  make  his  way  with  great  care  and  precision, 
occasionally  by  means  of  artificial  stairways,  occasionally  by  natural 
steps,  slippery  and  dangerous,  as  below  there  were  often  deep  whirl- 
pools of  water.  At  other  times  the  course  was  very  easy.  It  was 
often  completely  overhung  by  rocks,  where  we  had  plenty  of  time  for 
musing  on  the  combined  beauties  and  romance  of  this  ever-varying 
specimen  of  natural  scenery.  Leaving  TJtica,  and  still  travelling  in 
stage  coaches,  we  stopped  at  Eochester  and  Auburn,  where  we  visited 
the  prison,  and  also  at  Syracuse,  where  we  observed  the  great  salt- 
works. We  eventuall}^  arrived  at  Buffalo,  the  great  city  of  Western 
New  York,  then  a  very  busy  place,  but  now  increased  in  an  enormous 
degree.  Niagara  Falls  was,  of  course,  soon  seen  and  viewed  in 
various  aspects  from  below,  from  above,  from  the  American  and  from 
the  British  side,  from  the  little  row-boat  crossing  the  river,  and 
also  from  Goat  Island,  which  divides  the  American  from  the  British 
Falls.  In  those  days  there  was  no  "Maid  of  the  Mist,"  and  no 
wonderful  railroad  bridge  to  facilitate  the  movements  and  to  increase 
the  admiration  of  the  traveller.  To  Niagara  Falls  we  must  apply  the 
word  "grand,"  while  we  must  speak  of  Trenton  Falls  as  romantic 
and  beautiful.  I  had  to  hasten  home  in  the  shortest  possible  time 
to  resume  my  professional  duties  on  the  1st  of  September  as  teacher 
and  practitioner.  I  should  have  mentioned,  perhaps,  that  the  class  of 
the  Medical  Institute  were  kept  together  during  the  winter  by  the 
lecturers,  who  reviewed  for  the  benefit  of  the  class  the  lectures  delivered 
at  the  university  at  their  examinations  or  "quizzes."  I  took  the  subject 
of  surgery,  which  was  then  taught  at  our  school  by  Prof.  Gibson. 

During  this  winter  of  1827-28  my  correspondence  with  Mrs. 
Phillips  was  continued,  and  through  it  I  was  introduced  to  a  knowl- 
edge of  many  of  her  personal  friends,  and  indeed  learned  much  of 
the  history  of  the  Rowland  and  Aspinwall  families.  Hence,  I  was 
gratified  to  receive  a  note  of  introduction  from  her  to  several  members 
of  these  families,  who  were  a])cut  to  visit  Philadelphia.  Mr.  James 
Eoosevelt  and  his  wife  (Miss  Harriet  Howland  that  was),  and  Mr. 
Samuel  Howland  and  his  wife  (Miss  Hone  that  was),  having 
determined  to  visit  our  city,  they  invited  Mrs.  John  Aspinwall,  Mr. 
Howland's  sister  (Susan  Howland)  with  her  daughter,  Margaret, 
to  accompany  them.  They  left  Jersey  City  in  their  own  carriages  in 
the  month  of  Mav,  1828,  and  made  easv  drives  through  New  Jersey, 


68  FAMILY  HISTORY  AND  REMINISCENCES. 

crossing  the  Delaware  at  Trenton,  and  after  two  or  three  days  arrived 
here,  and  took  lodgings  at  Head's  Mansion  House,  on  Third  Street, 
near  Spruce,  a  private  hotel,  but  one  of  great  reputation  through  the 
country.  The  Mansion  House  itself  had  been  the  residence  of  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Bingham,  who  were  among  the  wealthiest  citizens  of  Penn- 
sylvania, and  whose  establishment  had  been  very  large  and  costly. 
Mrs.  Bingham  herself  was  the  centre  and  leader  of  fashion.  The 
grounds  originally  belonging  to  this  house  extended  from  Third  Street 
to  Fourth,  and  from  Spruce  Street  north  some  four  or  five  hundred 
feet,  and  were  filled  with  beautiful  trees.  The  family  had  died  off: 
the  grounds  were  covered  with  buildings;  but  the  beautiful  mansion, 
with  its  noble  hall  and  white  marble  staircase  and  extensive  rooms, 
still  existed  to  be  occupied  by  strangers.  Now  (1872)  this  also  has 
been  entirely  swept  away,  and  the  space  is  filled  with  houses,  which 
are  comfortable,  but  of  small  dimensions.  Of  course,  I  and  my  friend, 
Mr.  James  Bayard,  were  not  slow  in  profiting  by  my  letter  of  intro- 
duction, but  presented  ourselves  promptly  at  the  Mansion  House,  and 
were  not  remiss  in  our  subsequent  attentions.  We  accompanied  our 
friends  in  their  various  excursions  to  private  and  public  institutions, 
and  soon  felt  ourselves  to  be  intimately  acquainted.  We  regretted, 
therefore,  to  hear,  at  the  conclusion  of  a  sojourn  of  some  two  weeks, 
that  the  hour  of  their  departure  was  approaching.  Not  many  weeks 
after  I  took  the  opportunity  of  visiting  Mrs.  Aspinwall  and  her 
daughter  in  Bleecker  Street,  New  York,  where  I  became 
acquainted  with  the  rest  of  the  family.  As  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Aspinwall  and  Mrs.  Phillips  contemplated  an  excursion  through 
New  York  in  the  month  of  August  I  most  gladly  accepted 
an  invitation  to  accompany  them.  The  party  consisted  of 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  John  Aspinwall  and  their  daughters,  Margaret  and 
Emily,  together  with  Mrs.  Phillips  and  myself.  We  left  New  Y^ork 
in  the  beginning  of  August,  stopped  a  night  at  West  Point,  then  went 
to  the  Catskill  Mountains,  then  to  Lebanon  Springs  by  the  way  of 
Hudson,  then  to  Albany,  Utica,  and  once  more  to  Trenton  Falls.  As 
1  was  in  this  way  brought  again  into  intimate  association  with  tlie 
elder  daughter,  Margaret,  I  could  not  but  give  a  most  cordial  endorse- 
ment to  all  that  my  friend,  Mrs.  Phillips,  had  said  about  the  excel- 
lencies of  character  and  the  attractive  qualities  by  which  she  was  dis- 
tinguished. T  was  therefore  most  truly  gratified  that  she  accepted 
my  offer  to  join  our  fortunes  for  life.  After  the  visit  to  Trenton 
Falls  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Aspinwall  left  us  to  visit  Niagara,  and  I  became 


FAMILY  HISTORY  AND  EEMINISCEXCES.  69 

the  protector  of  the  other  ladies.  We  accordingly  retraced  our  steps 
to  Albany,  and  proceeded  thence  to  the  neighborhood  of  Poughkeepsie 
that  we  might  visit  "Eosedale,"  formerly  the  seat  of  Mr.  James  Koose- 
velt;  but  now  occupied  by  his  son,  Isaac  Eoosevelt,  who,  a  year  pre- 
viously, had  married  Mary,  the  third  daughter  of  Mr.  Aspinwall.  I 
had  thus  what  was,  under  the  circumstances,  a  very  exciting,  as  well 
as  a  most  interesting  visit.  New  attachments  were  formed  with  the 
sisters  in  Mr.  Aspinwall's  family  which  have  since  been  strengthened 
by  years  of  affectionate  interest  in  each  other's  welfare;  attachments 
which  still  remain  unbroken.  Here  this  eventful  journey  terminated. 
I  returned  to  my  mother  in  Philadelphia,  and  resumed  my  hospital 
duties,  my  lectures,  and  my  practice,  in  the  month  of  September.  But 
naturally  my  mind  and  thoughts  were  much  in  Kew  York,  and  com- 
munications in  those  days  were  slow.  Still  I  was  able  occasionally  to 
visit  Mr.  Aspinwall's  house,  and  was  glad  to  have  an  early  day  ap- 
pointed for  our  marriage.  This  very  important  event  in  my  life  was 
accomplished  at  31  Bleecker  Street,  New  York,  at  the  residence  of 
Mr.  Aspinwall,  on  the  twelfth  of  November,  1828.  The  ceremony 
was  performed  by  the  Eev.  George  Upfold,  then  rector  of  St. 
Thomas's  Church,  at  the  corner  of  Broadway  and  Houston 
Street,  who  afterwards  became  Bishop  of  Indiana.  He  died  recently 
at  an  advanced  age.  There  was  on  this  occasion  a  crowded  room  of 
relations  and  friends.  Alas,  how  few  remain!  Of  the  older  mem- 
bers of  the  family  not  one.  The  next  day  we  went  to  Westchester  to 
visit  aunt  Hammond  for  a  few  days,  and,  on  our  return  to  New  York, 
were  entertained  by  different  members  of  the  family.  About  the  24th 
of  November  we  left  New  York  for  Philadelphia,  accompanied  by 
sister  Emily.  We  took  the  steamboat  from  the  city  very  early  in  the 
morning  for  New  Brunswick  on  the  Earitan,  and  went  thence  by  pri- 
vate coach  to  my  brother's  house  in  Princeton,  where  we  arrived  in 
time  for  dinner.  At  Princeton  we  remained  for  a  day  or  two,  and 
on  the  27th  of  November  came  to  our  house  in  Philadelphia,  where  I 
had  the  gratification  of  introducing  my  mother  to  her  new  daughter. 
My  cousin,  Theodosia  Bayard,  on  my  mother's  invitation,  spent  the 
evening  with  us. 

Our  residence  at  181  Walnut  Street  had  undergone  several  changes. 
The  two  sisters,  Mrs.  Ingersoll  and  Mrs.  Graydon,  had  taken  apart- 
ments in  the  neighborhood,  and  the  house  had  been,  in  some  good  mea- 
sure, refurnished.  This  was  accomplished  by  the  use  of  the  little  money 
which  remained  in  my  mother's  possesssion,  the  last  remnant  of  my 


70  FAMILY  HISTORY  AXD  REMINISCENCES, 

grandfather's  estate.  Everything  was  very  plain  but  comfortable,  and 
in  such  circinnstances  we  were  destined  to  spend  some  pleasant  years, 
from  1828  to  1836.  On  the  day  following  our  arrival,  according  to 
the  customs  of  those  times,  I  received  my  male  acquaintances  to  a 
noon-day  collation  on  the  28th  instant;  and  early  in  the  following 
week  Margaret  held  a  reception,  and  was  favored  with  a  large  number 
of  visitors,  to  most  of  whom  she  was  of  course  a  stranger,  but  many  of 
whom  she  retained  as  valuable  friends.  During  the  subsequent  months 
of  the  winter  we  were  frequently  entertained  at  evening  parties.  Sis- 
ter Emily  remained  with  us  many  weeks,  and  Margaret  herself  paid  a 
visit  to  New  York  about  mid-winter,  crossing  the  Delaware  at  Market 
Street  in  a  small  "wherry-boat"  on  the  ice. 

After  my  engagement  with  Miss  Aspinwall  mother  had  gone  to 
make  a  visit  to  our  cousin,  Mr.  Samuel  Boyd,  in  New  York.  She 
was  now  introduced  to  the  family  of  Mr.  Aspinwall,  with  whom  she 
was  evidently  much  gratified.  Her  quick  perception  detected  the 
excellencies  of  their  character,  and  their  practical  acquaintance  with 
the  duties  of  life.  She  returned  home  for  the  re-organization  of  our 
house,  preparatory  to  my  marriage,  which  was  celebrated,  as 
above  related,  on  the  12th  of  November,  1828.  She  gave 
up  the  whole  house  to  us,  retiring  to  the  front  room  of 
the  third  story,  saying  and  feeling  that  the  great  work  of 
her  life  was  accomplished,  for  her  children  were  both  mar- 
ried, and  were  both  engaged  prosperously  in  their  respective  profes- 
sions. Few  mothers  have  manifested  more  self-denial,  and  more 
spirit  and  energy  than  did  this  devoted  parent  to  her  fatherless  chil- 
dren, and  that  under  very  adverse  circumstances  in  a  city  where  she 
had  none  of  her  own  personal  relatives,  but  where  she  secured,  not 
only  the  admiration,  but  the  love  and  confidence  of  her  husband's  rela- 
tives and  a  wide  circle  of  devoted  friends.  She  survived  my  marriage 
three  years  and  five  months  in  very  tolerable  health,  free  from  anxiety 
and  trouble,  and  greatly  enjoyed  the  company  and  attentions  of  her 
new  daughter.  Two  of  my  sons  were  born  during  this  interval,  in 
whom  she  took  the  greatest  interest,  and  to  whose  comfort,  and  also 
to  the  comfort  of  their  mother,  she  greatly  contributed.  The  mother 
and  the  daughter  had  a  mutual  respect  the  one  for  the  other,  and 
rejoiced  in  a  connection  so  intimate  and  so  fruitful  in  blessing. 

As  might  be  expected,  my  professional  influence  was  augmented  by 
my  marriage.  My  practice,  which  had  always  been  sufficient  as  to 
quantity,  but  deficient  as  to  profitableness,  now  increased  in  value- 


FAMILY  HISTORY  AXD  REMINISCENCES.  71 

month  after  month;  ahnost  insensibly,  it  is  true,  but  positively  and 
permanently. 

In  the  year  1829  new  duties  and  new  anxieties  came  to  us,  for  on 
the  second  of  September  of  that  year  my  eldest  child  was  born,  and 
was  named  Charles  Blanchard.  The  previous  summer  had  been  very 
oppressive,  so  that,  under  the  circumstances,  Margaret  suffered  more 
than  usual:  indeed,  for  a  few  weeks  she  was  seriously  ill,  erysipelas 
having  come  on  her  face  and  head.  Nevertheless,  she  did  very  well,  and 
was  soon  aide  to  perform  all  her  maternal  duties  to  her  first-born.  The 
child  was  small  and  had  an  unusually  pallid  and  white  complexion,  but 
was  renuirkably  healthy,  never  suffering  under  the  usual  trials  and 
pains  of  infancy.  In  March,  1830,  however,  my  own  health  began  to 
decline.  I  had  a  few  sick  days  in  the  last  of  the  month.  These  were 
followed  by  a  complete  suspension  of  the  functions  of  the  liver,  so 
that  I  became  perfectly  jaundiced.  This  did  not  entirely  incapacitate 
me  for  duty;  but  the  disease  produced  its  usual  effects;  great  inertia 
of  mind  and  body,  loss  of  appetite,  etc.  As  medicine  did  not  seem 
to  have  much  effect  I  visited  my  brother  at  Princeton  to  try  the  ef- 
ficacy of  change  of  air  and  exercise,  including  working  in  the  garden, 
etc.  As  a  result  of  this  treatment  my  strength  increased,  and  I  re- 
turned to  Philadelphia  the  last  of  May.  Soon  afterwards  the  jaun- 
dice began  gradually  to  diminish,  and  in  a  few  weeks  entirely  van- 
ished, owing  perhaps  to  the  use  of  the  fresh  vegetables  of  the  season, 
and  especially  strawberries.  June  and  July  proved  very  warm,  and, 
as  my  practice  was  increased,  and  as  I  had  no  vehicle,  I  was  much 
exposed  to  the  sun,  and  exhausted  by  fatigue.  The  result  of  all  was 
a  serious  attack  of  remittent  fever,  which  kept  me  confined  the  whole 
month  of  August.  I  had  to  send  to  Kew  York  for  Mrs.  Hodge,  who 
had  gone  thither  Avith  her  infant  to  escape  the  heat  of  the  summer. 
In  September  I  found  myself  greatly  emaciated  and  weak,  with  an 
enlargement  of  the  spleen.  I  then  left  the  city,  travelling  with  my 
cousin,  Mr.  Andrew  Bayard,  then  also  quite  an  invalid,  in  a  carriage 
to  New  Brunswick,  and  thence  up  the  North  River  to  West  Point, 
where  I  joined  my  sister,  Emily  Aspinwall.  Finding  myself,  how- 
ever, again  very  miserable  I  rapidly  returned  home.  The  cool  weather 
of  the  autumn  gradually  revived  me,  and  I  entered  once  more  upon 
my  professional  duties,  which  were  then  continued  for  a  number  of 
years  without  intermission  or  sickness. 

In  December,  1830,  my  friend.  Dr.  Thomas  C.  James,  resigned  his 
position  as  obstetric  physician  at  the  Pennsylvania  Hospital,  and  I 


72  FAMILY  HISTORY  AND  REMINISCENCES. 

was  immediately  selected  as  his  successor.  In  consequence  of  this  new 
appointment  I  resigned  my  position  as  attending  physician  at  the 
Philadelphia  Almshouse,  where  I  had  labored  for  seven  years. 

About  this  time  also  I  became  a  communicant  in  the  Second  Pres- 
bi'terian  Church  (Mr.  Sanford  being  then  pastor),  to  which  my 
parents  and  grandparents  had  been  devoted.  This  Second  Presby- 
terian Church  resulted,  in  a  great  measure  from  the  preaching  of 
the  celebrated  missionary,  George  A^^iitefield.  Many  of  his  hearers, 
and  some  persons  also  who  belonged  to  the  First  Presbyterian  Church 
on  Market  Street,  worshipped  in  the  old  Academy  on  Fourth  Street 
near  Arch.  It  was  termed  the  Whitefield  Chapel.  They  were  soon  regu- 
larly organized  as  a  church.*  A  lot  of  ground  was  afterwards  bought 
at  the  northwest  corner  of  Third  and  Arch  Streets,  and  a  building 
with  a  steeple  of  brick  was  erected  about  the  year  1745,  the  Eev. 
Dr.  Gilbert  Tennent  being  pastor.  My  grandfather,  Mr.  Andrew 
Hodge,  and  my  great-uncle,  Mr.  Hugh  Hodge,t  were  among  the  origi- 
nal trustees.  Colonel  John  Bayard,  who  was  my  imcle  by  marriage, 
and  whose  wife,  Jane,  was  a  daughter  of  my  grandfather,  Andrew, 
also  became  a  trustee.  The  building  was  situated  east  and  west,  a 
large  front  door  1)eing  on  Third  Street,  and  the  steeple  at  the  opposite, 
or  west  extremity ;  so  that  the  general  aspect  was  very  similar  to  that 
of  St.  Peter's  Church  at  the  southwest  corner  of  Third  and  Pine 
Streets.  I  have  distinct  recollections  of  the  appearance  of  this  church 
al)out  the  beginning  of  the  present  century.  A  very  large  and 
high  mahogany  pulpit,  with  a  stair-case  on  either  side,  was 
placed  on  the  north  side  of  the  church,  and  over  it  was  a  large 
sounding-board,  which,  to  my  youthful  imagination,  suggested  much 
danger  to  the  preacher.  In  front  of  the  pulpit  was  a  high  mahogany 
desk  for  the  precentor,  whose  duties  at  that  time  were  performed 
with  great  earnestness  and  zeal  by  Mr.  Eastburn,  who  was  afterwards 
ordained  as  an  evangelist.  In  this  station  he  proved  exceedingly 
useful  and  ])opular,  especially  among  sailors;  and  to  his  efforts  we 
are  indebted  for  the  first  mariners'  church  in  Philadelphia  and 
probably  in  the  United  States.  There  was  a  middle  aisle  in  front 
of  the  pulpit,  which,  of  course,  was  comparatively  short,  running 
from  north  to  south  to  the  long  aisle  from  east  to  west.     Most  of 

♦The  date  was  December,  1743. 

t  Mr.  Hugh  Hodge's  name  does  not  appear  in  the  list  of  original  trustees  in  the 
charter  granted  by  Thomas  Penn  and  John  Penn;  but  later  (March  3,  17S0,)  In  "An 
Act  for  re-establishing  the  Charter  of  the  Second  Presbyterian  Church  in  the  City  of 
Philadelphia,   &c."— E.   B.  H. 


FAMILY  HISTORY  AND  REMINISCENCES.  73 

the  aisle  was  paved  with  brick;  but  nearly  one  half  toward  the 
pulpit  was  covered  with  the  tombstones  of  the  former  pastors,  Tennent, 
Davis*  and  Finley,*  who  were  there  buried  in  accordance  with  an  old 
usage.  It  is  much  to  be  feared  that  these  old  and  venerated  stones 
have  been  lost  or  stolen  through  neglect.  The  pews  also  were  of 
the  old  pattern.  They  were  high,  of  simple  wood,  painted  white, 
and  surmounted  by  a  mahogany  rail.  As  the  aisle  in  front  of  the 
pulpit  was  curved,  there  was  a  corresponding  curvature  in  front  of 
the  two  pews  at  the  head  of  the  middle  aisle;  hence,  these  pews 
were  triangular,  having  one  long  seat  and  one  short  one  at  right 
angles.  There  were  many  square  pews  also,  especially  on  the  southern 
side  of  the  building:  one  of  these  in  particular  was  called  the 
Governor's,  or  President's,  pew.  It  was  situated  directly  opposite  the 
pulpit  in  the  middle  aisle  against  the  Arch  .Street  wall.  It  was 
surmounted  by  a  wooden  canopy,  supported  by  two  carved  wooden 
columns.  There  is  still  in  possession  of  the  church  a  small  glass 
chandelier  which  was  purchased  from  the  effects  of  General  "Wash- 
ington, and  tradition  says  that  it  hung  in  this  pew.  My  first  recol- 
lections of  this  chandelier  were  after  the  altering  and  rebuilding 
of  the  church  in  1809.  There  were  galleries  on  three  sides  of  the 
church,  which  were  comparatively  short  on  the  east  and  west 
extremities,  while  the  one  on  the  south  side  opposite  the  pulpit 
was  long.  The  main  door  of  the  church  was  on  the  east  side  on 
Third  Street.  There  was  a  smaller  door  on  Arch  Street  toward  the 
west  end,  corresponding  therefore  to  the  western  aisle.  There  was 
another  small  door  on  the  north  side  near  Third  Street.  This 
opened  upon  a  wide  passage  extending  west  from  Third  Street.  On  the 
north  side  of  this  passage  was  a  high  row  of  buildings  occupied  partly 
for  stores,  a  carpenter  shop,  etc.,  and  partly  by  our  congregation  for 
a  lecture-room.  On  the  western  extremity  of  this  building  was  a 
school-room,  to  which  I  once  went  as  a  pupil.  The  tower  was  on 
the  west  end  of  the  church  building.  It  was  made  of  l)rick  and 
was  surmounted  by  a  wooden  spire,  and  there  was  a  room  under 
the  tower  occupied  as  a  carpenter  shop.  Dr.  Ashbel  Green,  former 
colleague  of  Dr.  Sproat,  was  the  senior  pastor  of  the  church,  and 
Jacob  J.  Janeway  was  his  colleigue.  The  sexton  was  Mr.  Lesley,  a 
cabinetmaker,  and  the  chief  undertaker  of  the  church.  The  church 
building  stood  some  distance  back  of  the  legal  line  on  Arch  Street, 

*  This  name  does  not  appear  in  the  list  of  pastors.    The  epitaphs  of  Gilbert  Tennent, 
Samuel  Finley  and  James  Sproat  are  preserved. — E.  B.  H. 


74  FAMILY  HISTORY  AND  KEMIXISCEXCES. 

SO  that  there  was  a  very  broad  pavement;  and  on  every  Sal^bath 
morning,  as  soon  as  the  services  had  commenced,  iron  chains  were 
drawn  across  Arch  Street  and  Third  Street  to  arrest  the  passage  of 
vehicles,  that  the  congregation  might  not  be  disturbed.  This  privilege, 
which  was  granted  in  those  days  very  respectfully  to  our  own  and 
other  churches,  was  afterwards  Avithdrawn  as  trespassing  upon  the 
rights  of  the  masses.  In  1S08  complaints  were  made  respecting  the 
stability  of  the  spire  of  our  steeple.  These  complaints  Avere  con- 
sidered to  be  well-founded,  and  the  sjjire  was  taken  down.  As 
the  congregation  was  then  very  prosperous  it  was  determined  to 
remodel  the  whole  building.  Accordingly  the  structure  was  entirely 
demolished,  except  the  north,  soutli  and  east  walls,  and  in  its  recon- 
struction the  space  formerly  occupied  by  the  steeple  was  taken  into 
the  main  building,  which  was  thus  greatly  enlarged.  The  old  and 
venerable  mahogany  pulpit  with  its  appurtenances  disappeared,  and 
a  neat  wooden  pulpit,  ornamented  with  some  carving,  with  a  stair- 
case on  either  side  and  a  precentor's  desk  in  front,  now  occupied  the 
west  end  of  the  building.  The  middle  aisle  was  now  the  long  aisle 
of  the  church,  extending  east  and  west.  The  pews  also  were  modern- 
ized, being  much  lower  and  furnished  with  cushions.  The  galleries 
were  reversed,  so  that  there  were  now  two  long  ones  and  one  short 
one,  the  last  being  at  the  eastern  extremity.  Glass  chandeliers  for 
candles,  including  General  Washington's,  appeared  at  regular  inter- 
vals, while  candelabra  were  affixed  to  the  pulpit.  Churches  in  those 
days  were  very  seldom  warmed.  Little  foot-stoves,  or  hot  bricks, 
enveloped  in  carpeting,  were  often  brought  in  by  servants  for  the 
comfort  of  the  elderly  and  the  invalid.  Just  about  this  time  stoves 
were  introduced  into  our  church,  with  their  long,  black  pipes,  extend- 
ing nearly  the  whole  length  of  the  building  and  under  the  galleries. 
Wood  was  burned  at  that  time,  and  much  inconvenience  was  some- 
times produced  from  the  droppings  of  a  dark  fluid  from  the  joints 
of  the  pipes.  The  whole  interior  of  the  building  was  painted  white, 
and  had  a  very  pleasant,  cheerful  look.  The  Avindows  were  large 
and  numerous.  The  exterior  of  the  edifice  was  now  roughcast,  of 
a  dull  light  color,  which  gave  it  a  neat  appearance.  But,  after  all 
that  could  be  said  for  it,  the  church,  as  reconstructed,  was  a  long, 
narrow,  barn-like  affair,  without  ornaments  or  architectural  pre- 
tensions of  any  kind. 

The    congregation    re-entered   their    building   in    1809,    a    large, 
prosperous   and   united   body   of   people.      The   eloquent   Dr.    Green 


FAMILY  IIISTOKY  AND  REMINISCENCES.  75 

was  much  beloved,  and  although  often  weak  and  nervous,  always 
attracted  large  assemblies,  Avhile  his  less  admired,  but  excellent 
colleague,  Dr.  Janeway,  was  heard  with  respectful  attention.  The 
church  was,  however,  destined  to  sustain  a  great  loss  by  the  removal 
of  their  senior  pastor  to  the  presidency  of  the  College  of  New  Jersey 
at  Princeton,  to  which  situation  he  was  elected  in  June,  1812,  upon 
the  resignation  of  the  venerable  Samuel  Stanhope  Smith. 

The  duties  of  the  congregation  were  too  onerous  for  Dr.  Janeway, 
so  that  an  assistant  became  necessary.  Under  these  circumstances 
Mr.  Thomas  II.  Skinner,  then  about  twenty-two  years  of  age,  was 
called  to  this  important  position.  He  was  a  young  man  of  great 
talent  and  piety,  exceedingly  enthusiastic  under  the  impulse  of  a 
warm  imagination  and  a  strong  desire  to  do  good.  His  style  of 
preaching,  which  was  very  eloquent,  was  exceedingly  diverse  from  the 
grave  and  didactic  soundness  to  which  this  church  had  been 
accustomed.  His  voice  and  his  manner  corresponded  to  the  intensity 
of  his  feelings,  and  he  poured  forth  in  tones  of  fervid  eloquence, 
not  only  the  blessed  invitations  and  promises  of  the  gospel,  but 
also  the  terrible  threatenings  and  denunciations  of  the  law,  not 
infrequently  broaching  sentiments  which  were  thought  to  be  not 
quite  orthodox,  and  which  were  afterwards  denominated  "new  school" 
doctrines.  The  excitement  therefore  was  great,  and  at  the  time  I 
left  college,  in  181-t,  was  approaching  its  crisis.  The  old  elders 
of  the  church,  and  a  large  number  of  the  congregation,  were  so 
decidedly  opposed  to  his  preaching  that  Mr.  Skinner  eventually 
resigned  his  place  and  retired  with  twelve  or  fifteen  families  to  a 
building  on  Locust  Street,  above  Eighth,  where  the  Musical  Fund 
Hall  now  stands.  His  popularity  greatly  increased,  and  he  became 
so  strong  that  his  friends  succeeded  in  erecting  a  handsome  building, 
which  still  exists  in  Arch  Street,  above  Tenth.  Here  Dr.  Skinner 
was  so  much  favored  as  to  organize  a  strong  and  devoted  church, 
which,  notwithstanding  some  reverses,  owing  to  change  of  pastors,  is 
now  exceedingly  prosperous  under  the  pastoral  care  of  Mr.  Withrow. 
Soon  after  this  event  Dr.  Janeway  resigned  his  office  in  the  church 
and  was  elected  a  professor  of  theology  in  the  new  theological  semin- 
ary at  Allegheny  City,  while  Eev.  Mr.  Sanford,  of  Brooklyn,  N.  Y., 
became  pastor  of  our  church.  He  was  a  young  man,  and  acquired 
much  reputation  as  a  speaker  and  pastor.  He  had  lately  been  married. 
His  coming  was  full  of  promise,  and  his  preaching  was  generally 
very  acceptable,   so  that  the  church  was  well  attended,  and  for   a 


76  FAMILY  HISTORY  AND  REMINISCENCES. 

time  eYer3i:hing  seemed  to  be  doing  very  well.  Nevertheless;,  a  secret 
dissatisfaction  exisited  among  a  j)ortion  of  the  congregation  as  to  the 
teachings  and  doings  of  the  new  pastor,  while  enthusiastic  devotion 
prevailed  among  the  rest.  Most  lamentably  this  division  extended 
to  the  elders  and  leading  members  of  the  church,  so  that  much  dis- 
sension resulted,  and  efforts  were  made  both  to  remove  and  to  retain 
Mr.  Sanford.  Such  a  state  of  things  could  not  continue.  Finally, 
the  friends  of  the  pastor,  led  by  such  excellent  men  as  Alexander 
Henry  and  Matthew  Bevan,  determined  to  withdraw,  while  Mr. 
Robert  Ealston,  Mr.  Charles  Chauncey  and  others  of  equal  importance, 
adhered  to  the  old  church.  But  before  the  unnatural  and  unfor- 
tunate separation  was  accomplished,  the  Rev.  Mr.  Sanford  was  taken 
ill  and  died,  and  many  of  us  trusted  that  the  party  feelings  engendered 
would  be  allayed  by  this  solemn  dispensation  of  Providence.  It  is 
mournful,  however,  to  record  that  this  was  by  no  means  the  case. 
The  feelings  of  l)oth  parties  had  become  too  much  excited  for  recon- 
ciliation. Consequently,  when  the  funeral  services  of  Mr.  Sanford 
had  been  performed  in  the  church,  all  his  friends,  amounting  to  nearly 
one-half  of  the  congregation,  retired  and  organized  themselves  into  a 
new  church,  and  soon  afterwards  erected  a  commodious  building  at 
the  southeast  corner  of  Eighth  and  Cherry  Streets.  They  procured 
as  pastor  the  Rev.  John  McDowell,  who  for  some  twenty  or  thirty 
years  had  been  a  most  acceptable  and  successful  pastor  at  Elizabeth, 
JST.  J.  The  Second  Church,  thus  reduced  in  numbers,  obtained  the 
services  of  the  Rev.  C.  C.  Cuyler,  an  influential  clergyman  of  the  Dutch 
Reformed  Church,  of  Poughkeepsie,  N.  Y.* 

In  the  course  of  a  year  or  two  it  was  deemed  expedient  to  dispose 
of  the  property  at  the  corner  of  Third  and  Arch  Streets,  and  to  erect 
a  new  building  in  Seventh  Street,  south  of  Arch,  on  the  east  side. 
The  front  of  this  building  was  of  marble,  and  the  interior  very  chaste 

*0ne  of  the  Innovations  of  Mr.  Sanford  to  the  old  quiet  habits  of  the  Second  Churcli 
was  bis  practice  of  calling  upon  all  new  members  to  stand  up  when  their  names  were 
read  and  to  give  their  assent  to  the  great  gospel  principles  of  the  Church  and  to 
enter  into  covenant  with  the  people.  In  those  days  also  it  was  customary  at  the 
administration  of  the  Lord's  Supper  to  have  narrow  tables,  covered  with  white  cloth 
and  furnished  with  benches,  extending  down  the  aisles.  To  these  all  the  communi- 
cants resorted  while  the  elements  were  passed  along.  When  some  retired  to  their 
pews  others  took  their  places,  so  that  two  and  even  three  tables  were  often  thus  filled, 
at  each  of  which  addresses  were  made  by  one  or  more  clergymen.  Formerly,  more- 
over, it  was  customary  on  the  Friday  evening  previous  to  the  communion  to  dis- 
tribute little  lead  tokens  to  each  communicant,  and  it  was  the  business  of  the  elders 
to  collect  these  as  each  table  was  filled,  and  before  the  elements  were  distributed. 
This  practice,  whatever  may  have  been  its  utility,  had  been  abandoned  by  our  Church. 
1  inyself,  however,  well  recollect  its  regular  enforcement. 


FAMILY  HISTORY  AND  REMINISCENCES.  77 

and  commodious.  The  pulpit  was  built,  somewhat  in  the  form  of  a 
mausoleum,  of  pure  white  marble  on  a  platform  about  a  foot  high.  It 
was  about  fifteen  feet  long,  and  about  five  feet  high,  a  complete  paral- 
lelogram, at  the  middle  portion  of  which  was  another  piece  of  marble, 
five  feet  in  length  and  two  or  three  feet  in  height,  surmounted  by  the 
cushion,  in  front  of  the  pulpit,  while  below  there  was  a  communion- 
table of  mahogany,  somewhat  carved  and  ornamented  and  covered  with 
a  slab  of  black  marble.  In  the  rear  of  the  pulpit  and  in  the  recess  was 
a  tablet  of  white  marble  in  memory  of  the  first  pastor,  Gilbert 
Tennent.* 

It  is  a  painful  fact  to  state  that  neither  of  these  two  congregations, 
although  thus  well  furnished  with  new  buildings  and  new  pastors, 
was  at  all  prosperous.  After  many  years  Dr.  McDowell  was  com- 
pelled to  resign  his  position;  and  it  is  only  within  the  last  few  years 
that  the  congregation  has  been  much  increased.  It  is  now  thriving 
under  the  care  of  Eev,  Alexander  Eeed.  In  Seventh  Street  we 
lingered  and  dwindled  in  numbers  from  deaths  and  removals  under 
the  care  of  the  Eev.  Dr.  Cuyler,  and,  after  his  death,  under  the  Eev. 
Dr.  Shields,  now  professor  in  the  College  of  New  Jersey. 

In  1865,  upon  the  retirement  of  Dr.  Shields,  the  Eev.  E.  E. 
Beadle,  who  had  been  a  missionary  in  Syria,  and  a  pastor  in  New 
Orleans  and  also  in  Hartford,  Conn.,  became  our  pastor.  He  had 
made  a  great  reputation,  especially  as  an  earnest  and  eloquent 
preacher;  a  reputation  which  he  fully  maintained  upon  his  arrival 
in  Philadelj^hia.  The  church  improved  very  much,  but  not  with 
sufficient  rapidity  to  satisfy  the  mind  of  our  pastor,  to  say  nothing  of 
many  of  our  people.  The  cause  was  attributed  to  the  removal  of 
influential  Presbyterians  from  the  eastern  to  the  western  part  of 
the  city.  Hence,  after  much  discussion,  it  was  determined  to  sell 
our  present  church  building  and  erect  another  in  a  more  promising 
situation.  The  sale  was  soon  effected  by  auction,  and  we,  therefore, 
most  unfortunately  had  no  place  to  go  to,  and,  what  was  a  still  more 
unfortunate  circumstance,  there  was  the  greatest  difference  of 
opinion  as  to  what  would  be  a  suitable  location.  We  made  a 
temporary  engagement  at  Horticultural  Hall,  on  Broad  Street,  above 
Spruce;  a  place  which  proved  to  be  very  uncomfortable,  and  did 
not  therefore  in  any  way  contribute  to  harmonize  our  sentiments. 
After  considering  various  propositions,  we  determined  to  purchase  the 
lot  at  the  corner  of  Twenty-first  and  Walnut  Streets  in  the  autiunn 

*  This  tablet  is  to  the  memory,  not  only  of  Gilbert  Tennent,  but  of  George  WMte- 
field  as  well,   "to  whose  evangelistic  labors  the  church  owes  its  existence."— E.   B.  H. 


78  FAMILY  HISTORY  AND  REMINISCENCES. 

of  186?.  But  even  tliis  resolution,  although  supiDorted  by  a  hand- 
some subscription  for  the  lot,  did  not  quiet  our  troubles.  Early  in 
January,  1868,  some  of  our  most  influential  people  were  anxious 
to  accept  a  proposition  to  merge  ourselves  with  the  congregation  in 
Arch  Street,  above  Tenth.  This  was  again  the  source  of  great 
difference  of  opinion  and  debate.  The  congregation  being  nearly 
equally  divided  on  the  subject,  an  appeal  had  to  be  made  to  the 
Central  Presbytery  of  Philadelphia,  who  almost  unanimously  refused 
to  sanction  the  proposed  union.  Notwithstanding  this  decision,  it 
was  impossible  for  some  time  to  settle  upon  a  locality  for  the  church. 
Various  points  were  suggested,  examined,  and  voted  upon,  and  it 
was  not  until  the  22d  of  June,  1868,  that  a  decisive  vote  was  given 
in  favor  of  the  lot  on  the  corner  of  Twenty-first  and  Walnut  Streets. 
The  ownership  of  the  lot  had  by  this  time  changed  hands,  and  we 
had  to  give  $7000  more  than  would  have  been  required  in  the  fall 
of  1867;  and  moreover,  although  a  very  large  majority  of  the 
opponents  still  adhered  to  the  old  church,  still  we  lost  several  of 
our  most  influential  and  wealthy  families.  Nevertheless,  the  deter- 
mination to  go  forward  in  what  seemed  to  us  a  great  and  important 
work  for  the  cause  of  religion  in  general,  and  especially  for  Presby- 
terianism  in  this  section  of  the  city  where  a  church  was  very  much 
wanted,  and  where  a  population,  cultivated  and  influential,  was 
rapidly  increasing,  was  rewarded  by  the  obtaining  of  subscriptions 
amounting  to  some  $33,000.  A  highly  architectural  plan  was  pre- 
pared by  Mr.  Henry  A.  Sims,  and  ground  was  broken  on 
the  26th  day  of  March,  1869,  and  since  that  time  we  have  steadily 
persevered  under  many  discouragements  and  difficulties  in  the  prose- 
cution of  our  work,  until  now,  in  February,  1873,  the  walls  have  been 
erected,  the  roof  has  been  finished,  and  the  work  is  so  far  advanced 
that  we  hope  to  enter  the  building  before  termination  of  the 
coming  spring.  In  November,  1868,  with  a  view  to  securing  a 
regular  attendance  of  our  meml^ers,  and  to  increase  our  numbers,  we 
commenced  the  erection  of  a  plain  building  on  the  southern  extremity 
ot  our  lot.  To  this  building  we  transferred  our  old  pews,  gas-fixtures 
and  part  of  the  pulpit,  and  secured  in  this  way  quite  a  home-like, 
though  humljlc,  place  of  worship,  which  we  occupied  with  mutual 
congratulations  on  the  17th  of  January,  1869.  This  experiment  has 
been  quite  successful,  inasmuch  as  our  income  is  now  sufficient  for 
our  annual  expenses,  including  $4000  for  the  salary  of  our  pastor,  and 
there  have  been  so  many  additions  to  our  membership  that  seats  can 


FAMILY  HISTORY  AND  REMINISCENCES.  79 

hardly  be  pro\dded  for  them.  We  trust,  therefore,  that  a  very  good 
nucleus  has  now  been  formed,  under  the  blessing  of  Providence,  for  the 
resuscitation  of  the  old  Second  Presbyterian  Church  to  its  former 
influence  and  usefulness  at  home  and  abroad. 

My  own  health,  after  my  illness  in  1830,  was  quite  good, 
and  my  practice  was  constantly  increasing,  and  as  the  fa- 
tigue of  walking  had,  under  these  circumstances,  become 
great,  I  determined,  although  my  income  was  still  small,  to 
procure  a  gig;  a  two- wheeled  vehicle  for  one  horse.  It  so 
happened  that  our  arrangements  were  just  completed  on  the  12th 
of  August,  1831,  and  on  that  day  my  second  son,  John  Aspinwall, 
was  born;  his  brother  Charles  being  not  quite  two  years  of  age.  He 
was  apparently  a  stronger  child  than  his  predecessor,  and  did  very 
well,  although  for  six  weeks  he  had  the  icterus  infantilis.  His 
dear  mother  was  also  very  well. 

Tn  the  spring  of  1832  I  was  destined  to  experience  my 
first  great  affliction.  My  mother,  who  had  been  somewhat  of 
an  invalid  for  some  two  or  three  years,  as  she  suffered  from 
a  slight  bronchial  affection,  became  unexpectedly  very  ill  early 
in  April,  1832.  She  had  been  subject  to  wandering  pains,  generally  in 
her  limbs,  which  were  of  a  gouty  character,  attended  with  slight 
depositions  in  some  of  the  finger  joints,  and  occasionally  wdth  more 
or  less  distress  in  the  region  of  the  stomach.  She  had  taken  a  slight 
cold,  which  for  two  or  three  days  did  not  seem  to  be  of  any  import- 
ance; but  this  was,  to  my  surprise,  followed  by  pulmonary  congestion 
and  mild  delirium.  She  died  April  the  14th,  after  an  illness  of  a  few 
days,  too  soon  for  my  brother  even  to  reach  her  from  Princeton. 

On  Friday  morning,  the  14th  of  April,  she  was  evidently  sinking, 
and  toward  two  o'clock  she  fell  asleep  without  suffering  and  without 
anxiety.  She  had  long  felt  that  her  work  was  really  done.  She 
had  made  a  good  profession,  not  only  as  a  faithful  communicant  in 
the  church,  but  by  a  constant  self-denying  devotion  to  the  duties  of  a 
life  emphatically  consecrated  to  the  welfare  of  others.  To  her  her 
sons  are  indebted  for  their  education,  and  for  all  the  influence  for 
good  which  they  may  have  exerted  or  which  they  may  yet  exert. 
Truly  they  are  blessed  in  having  had  such  a  parent. 

She  was  interred  in  the  Presbyterian  burying-ground  in  Arch 
Street,  above  Fifth.  The  funeral  services  were  conducted  by  her 
pastor.  Dr.  Ashbel  Green,  by  whom  she  was  also  married.  Dr.  Green 
had  moreover  baptized  her  children,  and  delivered  an  eulogium  over 
the  grave  of  her  husband.  Dr.  Hodoe.     Her  mother's  maiden  name 


80  FAMILY  HISTORY  AND  REMINISCENCES. 

was  Himt,  and  she  was  probably  of  English  descent.  Her  father's 
name  was  Joseph  Blanchard.  He  came  doubtless  of  French  ancestry, 
descended,  I  suppose,  from  the  Huguenots,  who  were  exiled  from 
France.  Her  early  years  were  spent  in  Boston.  She  was  born  in 
that  city  in  November,  1765.  Her  youthful  experience,  therefore, 
was  amidst  the  excitements  preparatory  to  the  rebellion  of  the 
colonies  against  the  authority  of  Great  Britain.  Of  course,  the 
opportunities  for  education  were  few.  These  few,  how^ever,  were 
well  employed,  for  she  early  manifested  a  great  love  for  reading. 
This  taste  was  indeed  so  strong  that  she  often  retired  from  the  fire- 
side circle,  and  in  a  cold  room,  in  a  Boston  winter,  envel- 
oped in  a  blanket,  would  read  and  commit  to  memory  pas- 
sages from  Pope  and  Dryden,  many  of  which  she  could  still 
repeat  even  in  the  latter  portion  of  her  life.  Her  family 
physician  was  the  celebrated  Dr.  Joseph  Warren,  afterwards  Major 
General  Warren,  of  Bunker  Hill  memory,  and  one  of  the  first 
martyrs  in  his  country's  cause.  Her  recollections  of  him  were 
very  vivid.  He  occasionally  came  to  see  her,  as  she  suffered 
somewhat  from  weak  eyes.  On  such  occasions  she  would  be  taken 
upon  his  knees,  not  so  much,  however,  to  receive  medical  attention  as 
to  hear  him  discourse  on  the  exciting  controversies  of  the  day,  as  he 
early  devoted  himself  with  enthusiasm  to  the  cause  of  the  colonies. 
He  boldly  uttered  his  denunciations  against  the  Parliament  of 
England  to  crowded  audiences  of  Americans  and  English  in  Faneuil 
Hall,  even  when  the  galleries  were  filled  with  the  red-coats  of  the 
British  Army.  On  one  occasion,  in  her  father's  parlor,  Warren  was 
advised  by  his  friends  to  be  less  severe,  as  otherwise  he  would  doubt- 
less be  imprisoned.  He  cooly  turned  up  the  ruffles  at  his  wrist,  and 
stretching  forth  his  arms  exclaimed:  "These  were  never  made  for 
fetters.'^     So  it  proved,  for  no  one  ventured  to  disturb  him.* 

»  Notfi  by  H.  W.  H. 

It  is  sometimes  interesting  and  curious  to  observe  in  the  lives  of  people  points  in 
the  road  where  for  a  moment  two  paths  touch  and  diverge  again.  In  Dr.  Warren 
there  is  a  slight  meeting  of  the  Hodge  and  Aspinwall  families;  for  this  gentleman, 
so  kind  a  friend  and  so  honored  a  physician  in  the  childhood  of  father's  mother,  was 
also  a  kinsman  of  William  Aspinwall,  M.  D.,  who  was  a  relative  of  father's  wife, 
Margaret  Aspinwall.  He  was  born  in  Brookline,  Mass.,  on  the  23rd  of  May,  old  style, 
1743.  His  ancestors  emigrated  from  England  about  the  year  1630  with  some  four  thou- 
sand others.  Peter  Aspinwall  first  settled  at  Dorchester,  and  afterwards  at  Brookline 
about  the  year  1650.  William  was  a  descendant  of  this  Peter.  He  completed  his  edu- 
cation at  the  hospital  in  Philadelphia,  where  he  received  the  degree  of  Doctor  of 
Medicine  in  the  University  of  Pennsylvania.  About  the  year  176S  he  returned  to  his 
native  village  and  commenced  the  practice  of  medicine,  being  the  first  physician  who 
settled  in  the  place.  At  the  commencement  of  the  Revolutionary  War,  Under  an 
enthusiastic  impulse  to  espouse  the  cause  of  the  country  he  applied  for  a  commission 


FAMILY  HISTORY  AND  REMINISCENCES.  81 

My  mother  never  gave  me  many  details  of  her  early  life;  but  it 
would  appear  that  her  parents  died  when  she  was  young.  Her 
brothers  and  sisters,  mostly  married,  and  she  came  to  Philadelphia, 
at  twenty  or  twenty-two  years  of  age,  with  her  brother,  Mr.  John 
Blanchard.  Another  brother,  Mr.  Samuel  Blanchard,  married  a 
niece  of  the  Hon.  Timothy  Pickering,  who  was  a  colonel  in  the 
Kevolutionary  Army,  and  afterwards  Secretary  of  War  under  Wash- 
ington. Mr.  Blanchard  settled  himself  on  a  delightful  farm  at 
Wenliam,  near  Salem,  Mass.  He  had  three  children,  Henry,  Francis 
and  Lucy.  Henry  devoted  himself  to  a  sea  life,  and  never  married. 
Lucy  married  Mr.  Orne,  of  Salem,  but  died  without  children.  Prancis 
married  a  sister  or  niece  of  Mrs.  Colonel  Gardiner,  who  died,  leaving 
one  child,  who  was  brought  up  by  Mrs.  Gardiner.     Francis  himself 


in  the  Army,  but  his  kinsman  and  friend,  Dr.  Joseph  Warren,  afterwards  Major-Gen- 
eral  Warren,  persuaded  him  from  this  pursuit,  and  induced  him  to  serve  his  country 
in  the  medical  department.  Accordingly  Dr.  AspinwaU  received  the  appointment  of 
surgeon  in  General  Heath's  Brigade,  and  soon  afterwards  that  of  Deputy-Director  of 
the  hospital  at  Jamaica  Plains,  by  the  recommendation  of  General  Warren.  On  the 
memorable  day  of  the  battle  of  Lexington  Dr.  AspinwaU  was  a  volunteer  and  was 
personally  engaged  in  the  conflict.  He  bore  from  the  field  the  corpse  of  Isaac  Gardi- 
ner, Esq.,  whose  oldest  daughter  he  afterwards  married.  Dr.  AspinwaU  had  the  body 
of  his  revered  friend  carried  to  his  house  and  buried  at  midnight  in  order  that  the 
number  of  our  martyred  citizens  might,  as  much  as  possible,  be  concealed  from  public 
view. 

Dr.  AspinwaU  erected  hospitals  for  inoculation  in  Brookline,  and  perhaps  no  prac- 
titioner in  the  United  States  ever  inoculated  so  many  persons  and  acquired  such  skill 
and  celebrity.  He  had  made  ample  accommodations  for  enlarged  practice,  and  estab- 
lished what  might  have  been  justly  deemed  a  sure  foundation  for  prosperity,  when 
the  vaccine  inoculation  was  introduced.  He  well  knew  that,  if  this  method  of  protec- 
tion from  smallpox  possessed  the  virtues  ascribed  to  it,  his  schemes  of  fortune  and 
usefulness  from  inoculation  in  his  hospital  were  ruined,  and  his  anticipations  of 
wealth  would  be  blasted.  Nevertheless,  as  an  honest  and  faithful  physician,  he  gave 
the  new  method  a  fair  trial,  promptly  acknowledged  its  efficiency  and  relinquished  his 
own  establishment.  The  following  account  is  given  in  the  "Medical  Intelligencer"  of 
that  time:— "I  had  invited  all  the  elder  physicians  of  Boston  and  the  vicinity  of  Cam- 
bridge to  see  the  first  vaccine  pustules  ever  raised  in  the  new  world.  They  gave 
them  the  ordinary  inspection  of  an  unusual  eruption  on  the  skin;  all  but  Dr.  Aspin- 
waU, whose  attention  was  riveted  on  the  pustule,  its  areola  and  efflorescence.  He 
came  the  second  time  and  viewed  the  inoculated  part  in  every  light,  and  reviewed 
it,  and  seemed  loath  to  leave  the  sight  of  it.  He  seemed  wrapped  in  serious  thought, 
and  said  repeatedly,  "This  pustule  is  so  like  smallpox,  and  yet  is  not  smallpox,  that, 
should  it  on  scabbing  take  out  a  portion  of  the  true  skin  so  as  to  leave  an  Indelible 
mark,  or  pit,  behind,  I  shall  be  ready  to  conclude  that  it  is  a  mild  species  of  smallpox 
hitherto  unknown  here.'  Some  time  afterwards  I  gave  him  a  portion  of  the  virus  to 
make  his  own  experiments  with.  To  crown  the  whole  of  his  remarkable  conduct  he 
some  time  afterwards  took  all  those  of  my  family  whom  I  had  vaccinated  mto  his 
smallpox  hospital  and  there  tested  them,  and  then  said  to  me  and  to  others :-'This 
new  inoculation  of  yours  is  no  sham.  As  a  man  of  humanity  I  rejoice  in  it,  although 
it  will  take  from  me  a  handsome  annual  income.'  He  died  on  the  16th  of  April,  1823, 
of  natural  decay,  having  nearly  completed  his  eightieth  year.  Dr.  AspinwaU  was 
endowed  with  a  strong  intellect  and  a  resoluteness  that  shrunk  from  no  labor  or  du.y. 
He  was  a  fellow  of  the  Massachusetts  Medical  Society,  and  also  Justice  of  the  Peace 
throughout  the  Commonwealth." 


82  FAMILY  HISTORY  AND  REMINISCENCES, 

died  of  consnmjjtion  about  the  year  1811  or  1812.  His  daughter 
aTterwards  became  the  wife  of  the  Honorable  Eobert  Winthrop. 
She  lived  some  yearS;,  and  died  leaving  two  or  three  children.  (See 
letter  of  Miss  Pickering.)  Two  of  these  children  are  living,  I 
Lelieve,  and  one  was  educated  as  a  law3^er.  This  young  gentleman 
married,  and  spent  some  time  in  Europe.  Another  brother  of  my 
mother's,  Joshua  Blanchard,  lived  in  Boston.  As  far  as  I  know, 
he  had  two  daughters.  They  were  both  married  in  succession  to  Mr. 
Winslow.  Several  children  were  the  issue  of  the  first  marriage. 
One  of  the  sons  brought  his  wife  on  a  visit  to  Philadelphia.  Her 
health  was  bad,  and  they  went  to  spend  the  winter  in  Barbadoes.  He 
afterwards  wrote  me  a  very  pleasant  letter,  giving  an  excellent 
description  of  the  climate  and  productions  of  this  island,  and  of 
the  benefits  which  his  wife  derived  from  her  winter  there. 

About  the  year  1860  I  had  a  visit  from  one  of  his  sisters,  Miss 
Winslow,  a  remarkably  cheerful  and  pleasant  woman,  possessing 
evidently  a  Avarm  and  affectionate  heart.  She  exhibited  no  little 
delight  in  seeing  a  son  of  her  l^eloved  aunt  Mary.  She  informed  me 
that  her  uncle,  Mr.  John  Blanchard,  was  at  that  time  living  at 
Boston,  seventy-five  years  of  age,  the  only  one  remaining  who  retained 
the  family  name.  I  had  a  correspondence  with  him  respecting  the 
family  history. 

Mr.  John  Blanchard,  my  mother's  brother,  married  in  a  manner 
disagreeable  to  her,  and  this  event  with  other  circumstances  of  an 
unpleasant  character,  destroyed  their  intimacy.  Some  of  his  grand- 
children are  still  living  in  Philadelphia,  My  mother's  youngest 
brother  was  Mr,  Thomas  Blanchard.  He,  rather  early  in  life,  went 
to  Norfolk,  Va.,  and  there  married  a  Miss  Amy  Newton,  whose 
brother,  Thomas  Newton,  was  for  many  years  a  member  of  Congress. 
Another  brother,  George  Newton,  was  president  of  the  United  States 
Branch  Bank  at  Norfolk,  Mr,  Blanchard  had  several  children,  Charles, 
Henry,  Alfred,  Edward  and  Carey,  and  one  daughter,  Georgianna. 
I  believe  his  children  were  all  born  in  Norfolk.  Soon  after  their 
birth  Mr.  Blanchard,  out  of  pecuniary  considerations,  established 
himself  near  Natchez,  Miss.,  where  he  soon  afterwards  died.  Charles 
and  Henry  were  lawyers,  but  died  early.  Their  father's  widow,  Mrs. 
Amy  Blanchard,  found  liersclf  with  this  family  of  children,  and  witli 
very  limited  resources.  She  was  remarkably  quiet,  but  Judicious,  and 
filled  with  energy  and  spirit.  After  selling  off  her  plantation  in 
Mississippi,  she  purchased  land  in  Louisiana,  on  the  Red  Eiver,  near 


FAMILY  HISTORY  AND  REMINISCENCES.  83 

Alexandria,  then  a  very  wild  country,  so  that  the  land  was  very 
cheap.  She  was  greatly  prospered,  and  became  quite  wealthy  before 
her  death,  which  occurred  in  1837  or  1838.  The  three  elder  sons  died 
before  the  family  left  Mississippi.  Edward  entered  the  United  States 
Navy,  and  many  years  afterwards  married  a  French  lady,  and  settled 
at  jSTatchitoches,  in  western  Louisiana.  He  died  suddenly  from  an 
accident,  leaving  several  children.  Mrs.  Amy  Blanchard's  daughter, 
Georgianna,  married  a  Captain  Wilkinson,  U.  S.  A.  He  soon  after- 
wards resigned  and  settled  at  Alexandria,  La.  They  lived  for  several 
years,  and  when  they  died  left  several  sons  and  daughters,  who  were 
taken  care  of  by  their  uncle,  Carey  Blanchard.    One  of  these  daughters 

married  a  Mr. ,  of  Louisiana,  but  died  early,  leaving 

however,  three  or  four  children.  Two  of  her  boys,  grandchildren 
of  Georgianna,  have  visited  Philadelphia  lately,  and  are  now  being 
educated  in  Virginia.  Their  father  has  been  married  again,  and 
still  lives  in  Louisiana.  A  second  daughter  of  Mrs.  Wilkinson's  died 
during  the  Avar,  and  a  third  daughter  is  living,  I  believe,  in  Balti- 
more, whence  she  wrote  me  a  letter  some  two  years  ago.  The  younger 
son  of  my  uncle,  Thomas  Blanchard,  Mr.  Carey  Blanchard,  succeeded 
his  mother  on  the  plantation  near  Alexandria,  La.,  where  he  brought 
up  a  family  of  children.  He  had  the  misfortune  to  lose  one  wife 
after  another.  His  last,  and  fourth  wife,  was  of  French  extraction, 
a  widow  with  three  children,  and  possessing  considerable  property. 
He  was  married  to  this  fourth  wife  in  1860,  and  immediately  after- 
wards paid  a  visit  to  the  ISTorth,  staying  a  week  with  us  at  our  home 
near  Germantown  that  summer.  He  returned  to  Louisiana  in  the 
fall,  but  died  two  or  three  years  afterwards  during  the  war.  I  have 
heard  indirectly  that  his  widow  is  still  living  with  her  children  on 
her  own  plantation.  I  have  not  had  for  a  long  time  any  direct  news  of 
many  (any  ?)  of  the  family  in  Louisiana.  Carey  Blanchard  in  Louisiana 
and  John  Blanchard  in  Boston  were  the  last  of  my  mother's  nephews. 
In  1860  John  was  still  living  in  Boston,  a  bachelor,  seventy-five  years 
of  age.  I  have  reason  to  believe  that  he  is  now  dead,  although  I 
have  received  no  direct  information  upon  the  subject. 

The  summer  of  1832  was  rendered  memorable  by  the  invasion  of 
cholera  maligna.  It  had  prevailed  for  some  weeks  or  months  in 
England,  and  its  first  appearance  in  America  was  at  the  north  of 
the  St.  Lawrence.  The  profession  as  well  as  the  public  became  much 
interested  and  excited.  A  committee  of  physicians,  among  whom  were 
Dr.  Jackson  and  Dr.  Meigs,  were  sent  to  Montreal  to  study  the  com- 


84  FAMILY  HISTORY  AND  REMINISCENCES. 

plaint  and  the  means  of  prevention  and  cure.  Our  public  authorities 
facilitated  our  wishes.  Comfortable  and  airy  rooms  were  secured  in 
all  parts  of  the  city,  and  the  numerous  appliances  requisite  for  a 
hospital  were  provided.  About  the  third  week  in  July  the  disease 
suddenly  appeared,  and  in  a  rather  singular  manner.  Many  of  the 
earliest  cases  occurred  in  the  Almshouse  Hospital,  where  I  was  pre- 
scribing physician,  and  the  various  modes  suggested  by  the  English 
doctors  were  adopted  with  no  very  favorable  results.  My  tour  of  duty 
having  expired  on  the  1st  of  August,  I  was  fortunate  enough  to 
procure  the  apj)ointment  to  one  of  the  city  hospitals,  situated  on 
the  Delaware  Elver,  in  Penn  Street,  below  Pine,  where  I  had  as  my 
assistants  Drs.  Smiley,  Uselma  Clarke,'  Musgrave,  and  Edward 
Peace,  one  of  my  former  pupils.  I  had  also  a  great  many  private 
patients,  so  that  I  became  much  employed  and  greatly  interested  in 
the  management  of  this  dreaded  complaint,  having  always  a  strong 
confidence  that  it  should  usually  be  successfully  combated  by  remedial 
measures,  provided  a  collapse  was  not  complete.  The  inhabitants 
generally  behaved  very  well.  Many  of  the  wealthy  left  the  city,  but 
a  large  number  boldly  remained  to  render  themselves  useful,  so  that 
among  the  lower  classes  much  distress  was  hunted  out  and  alleviated. 
Children  were  often  found  without  protection,  father  and  mother 
having  both  died.  Several  ladies  procured  subscriptions  for  opening 
a  refuge  for  these  poor  unfortunates,  and  my  college  friend,  Benjamin 
W.  Eichards,  who  was  then  Mayor  of  the  city,  gave  them  a  home  for 
their  asylum  on  Library  Street,  above  Fourth,  opposite  the  present 
Custom  House.  The  Committee  of  Supervision  were  Miss  Margaret 
Keppele  (afterwards  Mrs.  John  Latimer),  Mrs.  Charles  D.  Meigs, 
Mrs.  H.  L.  Hodge  and  Miss  Jane  Phillips.  These  ladies  were  very 
devoted,  and  had  the  great  satisfaction  of  not  only  preserving  the 
health,  but  doubtless  the  lives  of  these  fatherless  children. 

It  may  be  recorded  that  no  cholera  occurred  in  the  institution, 
and  a  few  who  were  brought  in  sick  were  transmitted  to  some  of  the 
hospitals.  The  epidemic,  and,  of  course,  the  alarm  of  the  citizens, 
subsided  l)y  the  last  of  September  or  the  1st  of  October,  though  a 
few  sporadic  cases  were  seen  during  the  course  of  the  winter.  The 
usual  congratulations  were  extended,  and  the  city  authorities  passed 
a  vote  of  thanks  to  the  medical  profession,  and  presented  a  silver 
pitcher  to  each  of  the  physicians  of  the  cholera  hospital  as  a  more 
lasting  memento  of  their  respect. 

The  succeeding  year,   1833,  passed   as  usual.     I   was   once  more 


FAMILY  HISTORY  AND  REMINISCENCES.  85 

favored  by  the  birth  of  another  son,  James  Bayard,  who  was  born 
on  the  12th  day  of  December,  1833,  a  strong,  vigorous  child,  whose 
future  development  corresponded  to  these  early  beginnings. 

In  1826  the  health  of  Dr.  Thomas  C.  James  having  somewhat 
failed,  Dr.  William  P.  Dewees  was  appointed  as  his  colleague  in  the 
University;  an  arrangement  which  proved  very  satisfactory  to  the 
profession.  In  the  winter  of  1833  or  1831,  Dr.  James  was  so 
enfeebled  that  he  resigned  his  professorship,  and  soon  afterwards  he 
died  in  the  month  of  June.  Dr.  Dewees,  who  had  been  always  a 
strong,  healthy-looking  man,  suffered  also  during  the  spring  from 
some  congestion  of  the  brain.  The  debility  resulting  left  it  doubtful 
whether  he  would  be  able  to  carry  out  the  duties  of  the  professorship 
now  vacant.  He,  however,  retired  from  the  city  for  several  months, 
and  in  a  great  degree  recovered  by  the  succeeding  autumn.  He  was, 
therefore,  elected  by  the  trustees  to  fill  the  vacant  chair.  The  duties 
of  the  appointment  he  managed  with  some  effort  to  perform  during 
the  following  winter,  but  it  was  necessary  for  him  to  recruit  in  the 
summer  of  1835.  The  death  of  Dr.  James  and  the  bad  health  of 
Dr.  Dewees  left  an  opening  in  their  branch  of  the  profession  for 
young  aspirants.  Dr.  Charles  D.  Meigs  and  myself  were  benefited  by 
these  events,  so  that  our  social  and  professional  influence  was  en- 
hanced. At  the  opening  of  the  session  of  the  medical  course  it  was  im- 
mediately apparent  that  Dr.  Dewees  was  actually  incapable  of  lecturing, 
owing  to  disease  of  the  brain.  He  made  but  one  attempt,  and  then  his 
resignation,  now  unavoidable,  was  immediately  made.  Dr.  Meigs 
and  myself  were  the  chief  candidates,  and  the  question  so  vital  to 
our  interests  had  to  be  decided  in  a  few  days.  The  friends  of  each 
of  us  were,  of  course,  very  active.  Among  the  Board  of  Trustees 
our  supporters  were  alike  influential.  I  avoided  all  personal  solicita- 
tion, leaving  the  canvass  entirely  to  my  friends.  The  election  early 
in  ISTovemljer  was  in  my  favor.  This  was  very  gratifying,  as  I  thus 
ascended  to  the  highest  seat  in  this  department  of  the  profession.  At 
the  same  time  I  felt  overwhelmed  with  a  sense  of  the  labor  and 
responsibility  which  it  involved.  As  the  lectures  had  already  com- 
menced, it  became  necessary,  three  days  after  my  appointment,  to 
deliver  an  introductory  discourse.  This  period  was  spent,  therefore, 
under  the  influence  of  much  anxiety  and  excitement,  as  much  was 
expected  of  me,  and  I  was  not  prepared  to  do  myslf  justice  at  so 
short  a  notice.  I  was  enabled,  however,  to  perform  this  duty  and  to 
pass  through  the  whole  course  of  lectures,  to  say  the  least,  without 


86  FAMILY  HISTORY  AND  REMINISCENCES. 

any  decided  failure,  being  encouraged  by  partial  friends  and  tlie 
attentive  interest  manifested  by  my  pupils.  Tbis  winter,  however,  in 
a  pecuniary  point  of  view,  was  a  loss  rather  than  a  gain.  It  was  then 
customary  for  a  new  professor  to  pay  to  the  trustees  an  entrance  fee 
of  six  hundred  dollars.  In  the  present  case,  however,  an  additional 
burden  was  imposed,  for  the  medical  faculty  had  promised  Dr. 
Dewees  that  the  whole  proceeds  of  the  course,  after  the  expenses 
were  deducted,  should  be  paid  over  to  him  on  condition  of  liis  resigna- 
tion. Although  this  condition  of  affairs  was  known  beforehand,  yet 
neither  Dr.  Meigs  nor  myself,  as  candidates,  could  in  any  degree 
demur.  I  had,  therefore,  to  labor  without  pecuniary  reward,  and  at 
the  same  time  was  subjected  to  great  expense  for  the  entrance-fee  and 
for  other  objects.  My  cousin,  Mr.  John  Hodge,  assisted  me  in 
this  emergency  by  an  advance  of  money,  and,  as  both  Mrs.  Hodge 
and  myself  had  learned  to  practise  economy,  we  were  enabled  to 
provide  for  all  necessary  disbursements.  In  consequence  also  of  my 
appointment  as  professor,  confidence  in  me  was  increasing,  and  my 
practice  was  correspondingly  augmented.  Hence,  I  learned  to  cherish 
brighter  hopes,  and  with  renewed  alacrity  went  forward  to  meet  the 
necessary  labors  and  anxieties  of  the  future.  My  most  excellent  friend 
and  counsellor,  Mr.  Charles  Chauncey,  to  whom  I  was  chiefly  indebted 
for  my  appointment  as  professor,  strongly  advised  me  to  change  my 
domicile,  believing  tliat  a  more  imposing  residence  would  increase  my 
influence,  and  that  I  would  be  able  gradually  to  meet  the  pecuniary 
responsibility  thence  resulting.  As  this  large  house,  on  the  northwest 
corner  of  Nintli  and  Walnut  Streets,  which  covers  two  lots  and 
includes  two  large  offices,  had  been  recently  vacated  by  Professor  John 
Coxe,  who  had  built  it,  Mr.  Chauncey  strongly  advised  me  to  pur- 
chase it.  I  yielded  to  his  judg-ment,  although  it  was  contrary  to  my 
own  opinion  and  prudent  plans,  inasmuch  as  nearly  the  whole  of 
the  purchase  money  had  to  be  borrowed.  I  could  not  but  take  into 
consideration  the  possible  failure  of  my  ability  to  work,  involving  a 
complete  loss.  Although  this  purchase  has  apparently  resulted 
favorably,  yet  even  at  tliis  late  hour  of  my  life  I  remain  doubtful 
whether  it  was  a  wise  measure.  On  the  29th  of  June,  1836,  after  making 
many  repairs  and  some  alterations,  some  of  them  of  an  expensive 
character,  we  entered  our  new  residence.  We  left  the  house  in  Sansom 
Row  with  many  regrets,  for  there  we  had  been  very  comfortable  and 
happy  with  comparatively  few  responsibilities.  There  we  passed  the 
first  happy  years  of  our  marriage;  there  three  of  my  children  had 


FAMILY  HISTOKY  AND  KEMINISCEXCES,  811 

been  born,  and  there  also  I  had  laid  the  foundations  of  my  pro- 
fessional success.  There  also  my  mother  lived  with  me  for  twelve 
years,  four  of  which  were  after  my  marriage,  and  there  she  died, 
after  enjoying  the  great  satisfaction  of  seeing  me,  in  some  degree 
at  least,  reap  the  fruit  of  all  her  anxieties  and  the  labors  and  self- 
denials  which  she  had  endured  for  her  children.  Her  work  was  done. 
She  left  her  boys  happily  married,  blessed  with  children,  and  with 
every  prospect  of  domestic  and  professional  prosperity. 

Our  mutual  happiness  was  again  augmented  this  summer  by  the 
birth  of  my  fourth  son,  Hugh  Lenox,  on  the  30th  of  July. 

Of  course,  my  children  had  to  remain  in  town  during  the  summer, 
but  our  whole  family  continued  well  and  enjoyed  their  new  home, 
where  the  rooms  were  large  and  where  consequently  they  had  plenty 
of  room  indoors,  while  the  garden  afforded  them  the  opportunity  for 
play  and  exercise. 

No  important  event  occurred  during  the  succeeding  year,  but  I 
was  destined  to  suffer  another  bereavement  early  in  1838.  My  first- 
born son,  Charles  Blanchard,  although  rather  thin  and  pallid,  had 
never  been  sick,  but  was  active,  cheerful,  intelligent.  Without 
apparent  cause  he  became  unwell,  with  feverish  symptoms  and  dis- 
order of  the  digestive  organs.  ,  My  friend.  Dr.  Chapman,  paid  him  every 
attention,  but  without  effect;  and,  after  a  sickness  of  eight  days,  the 
child  died  on  the  16th  day  of  March  from  hypercatharsis,  and  we 
have  reason  to  believe  that  a  perforation  of  the  bowel  had  occurred. 
The  trial  was  very  great  to  his  mother  as  well  as  myself.  As  he 
was  the  eldest,  we  necessarily  looked  to  him,  not  only  for  our  own 
comfort  in  times  to  come,  but  for  the  good  influence  which  we 
trusted  he  might  exert  over  his  younger  brothers.  Still,  while  suffer- 
ing thus,  without  murmuring  we  bowed  to  the  will  of  God.  The 
mother's  health  continued  good,  and  on  the  14th  of  June  she  gave 
birth  to  our  fifth  son,  William  Henry.  He  was  a  delicate-looking 
child,  but  nevertheless,  like  all  my  children,  quite  healthy. 

The  year  1839  and  part  of  1840  were  passed  in  the  usual  manner; 
but  in  July,  1840,  as  the  summer  was  warm,  and  as  my  son  William, 
now  upwards  of  two  years  of  age,  had  not  finished  his  first  dentition, 
and  was  weak  and  miserable,  we  determined  to  spend  a  few  weeks  at 
Cape  May  for  the  sake  of  the  sea  air  and  the  bathing.  All  of  the 
party  were  much  revived  by  this  change.  William  recovered  his 
appetite  and  his  animation,  ils  to  myself,  although  I  had  never 
been  able  to  bear  cold  batliing,  I  ventured  into  the  ocean  two  or 


88  FAiriLY  HISTOUY  AXD  KEMIXISCENCES. 

three  times;  at  first  witli  apparent  impunity;  but  after  the  last 
bathing  I  had  a  chilh  Immediately  after  my  return  to  Philadelphia, 
after  a  visit  of  ten  days,  I  became  quite  ill  with  inflammation  of  the 
larynx  and  lungs,  for  which,  as  was  then  customary,  I  was  bled  and 
blistered,  so  that  for  four  or  five  weeks  I  was  kept  at  home  for  the 
first  time  since  my  severe  illness  of  1830.  I  recovered  and  was  very 
well,  so  that  in  September  I  was  actively  employed  in  practice,  and 
I  was  able  to  lecture  during  the  following  winter.  Owing  to  my 
position  at  the  University  I  had  by  this  time  obtained  considerable 
reputation  in  distant  places,  especially  in  the  South  and  Southwest, 
from  which  we  drew  a  large  number  of  our  medical  students.  Hence, 
a  very  pleasant,  and  even  lucrative,  practice  resulted.  I  had  a  large 
number  of  ladies  from  Maryland  and  from  Virginia,  as  well  as  from 
farther  South,  who  came  for  my  professional  care  in  succession,  and 
with  many  of  these  I  formed  close  and  abiding  friendships.  This 
interesting  part  of  my  professional  experience  continued  rather  to 
increase  until  November  and  December,  1860,  when  it  came  to  an 
abrupt  termination  by  the  political  dissensions  which  terminated  in 
the  Civil  War  of  1861,  by  which  the  minds  and  hearts  of  the  people, 
especially  in  the  South,  liave  been  so  embittered. 

Another  epoch  occurred  in  our  family  history  in  the  winter  succeed- 
ing my  illness,  marked  by  the  birth  of  my  son,  Edward  Blanchard,  on 
the  5th  of  February,  1841.  He  was  a  strong,  plump  boy,  and  proved  to 
be  of  fair  complexion,  and,  as  he  grew,  he  had  more  bloom  in  his 
cheeks  than  his  predecessors. 

Our  family  of  boys  had  grown  rapidly,  and  the  elder  sons  com- 
menced school  with  the  Misses  Donaldson,  who  kept  an  excellent 
primary  school  in  Walnut  Street,  above  Eighth.  They  were  sisters 
of  Captain  Donaldson.  Of  course,  the  boys  occupied  much  of  their 
mother's  attention,  who  in  the  most  quiet  manner  always  exerted  a 
decided  influence  for  good  over  all  their  thoughts  and  actions. 
Her  authority  was  supreme,  and  yet  so  quietly  exercised  as  to  insure 
the  respect,  and  to  awaken  at  the  same  time  the  love  of  her  children. 
They  were  fortunate  also  in  having  a  most  judicious  and  excellent 
nurse,  Mrs.  Betsy  Harding.  "j\Iammy  Betsy,"  as  she  was  called, 
began  in  early  life  to  take  charge  of  children,  and  pursued  the  practice 
of  nursing  unremittingly,  with  the  exception  of  a  short  interval 
during  her  married  life.  She  was  a  Scottish  woman,  and  always 
maintained  the  respectful  manner  and  sober  dress  characteristic  of 
persons  of  her  station  in  Europe,  but  which  is  too  frequently  laid 


FAMILY  HISTORY  AND  REMINISCENCES.  89 

aside  b}^  immigrants  to  America.  She  had  nursed  in  a  large  number 
of  the  most  cultured  families  in  our  city,  and  also  in  Washington  (Bal- 
timore?). I  first  saw  her  about  the  year  1824,  when  she  was  taking 
care  of  the  eldest  child  of  my  late  friend,  Dr.  J.  K.  Mitchell,  and  in 
the  spring  of  1834  or  1835  she  came  to  us  when  my  son  Bayard  was 
about  five,  or  seventeen,  months  old.  From  this  time  on  she  was  the 
only  child's  nurse  we  had,  as  her  health  was  generally  good,  and  she 
was  unremittingly,  and  even  anxiously,  devoted  to  the  innumerable 
wants  of  her  charge. 

About  1860  or  1861,  when  even  our  youngest  child  was  well  grown, 
Mammy  Betsy  was  becoming  infirm  from  years,  and  her  sight 
also  became  somewhat  dim.  We  gave  her  to  i»nderstand  that  she  must 
always  regard  our  house  as  her  home,  and  that  the  children  over  whom 
she  had  so  tenderly  watched  would  always  be  happy  in  making  her 
comfortable  and  in  seeing  that  her  every  want  was  supplied.  The 
force  of  habit  was  strong  in  lier,  and  she  always  felt  gratified  in  the 
belief  that  her  superintendence  of  the  boys'  wardrobe,  etc.,  was  quite- 
important.  She  never  became,  however,  a  burden  upon  the  family, 
or  indeed  at  all  helpless.  Early  in  September,  1869,  she  had  a  severe 
bilious  attack  by  which  she  was  completely  prostrated,  and  on  the 
8th  of  September  she  died.  Two  of  her  proteges  were  still  absent 
in  Europe.  These  were  my  sons  William  and  George.  Her  funeral 
was  attended  by  her  former  patroness,  Mrs.  J.  K.  Mitchell,  her  son 
Weir,  and  her  daughter  Elizabeth  Mitchell,  and  many  of  Mammy 
Betsy's  old  friends.* 

She  was  interred  in  Monument  Cemetery,  on  Broad  Street,  in  a 
lot  which  I  owned.  A  marble  stone  was  placed  at  the  head  of  her 
grave,  on  which  was  inscribed  her  name,  her  age,  which  was  eighty-four, 
the  day  of  her  death,  and  the  words :  "Faithful  unto  Death."  This 
was  a  just  tribute  to  one  who  had  so  well  served  her  generation  in 
what  is  too  frequently  called  an  humble  sphere,  but  which  is  really 
one  of  the  greatest  importance  and  usefulness. 

Although  Betsy  was  old  and  infirm,  I  and  my  children  sincerely 
mourned  her  loss,  and  were  exceedingly  grateful  for  all  the  blessings 
which  she  bestowed  upon  our  family.  The  following  notice  was 
published  in  the  daily  papers: 

"Died.— On  the  8th  of  September,  1869,  Elizabeth  Harding,  in  the 
eighty-fourth  year  of  her  age.  She  was  a  native  of  Scotland,  but 
came  over  to  this  country  in  1796  when  she  was  still  very  young. 

*The  funeral  service  was  conducted  at  the  house  at  the  corner  of  Ninth  and  Walnut 
Streets  by  Aspinwall  and  Edward,  the  two  ministerial  sons  who  were  at  home.— E.  B.  H. 


IK)  FA.MIIA'   inSTOr.Y  AXD  RKMIXISCKNCES. 

She  was  earl}-  married,  but  was  soon  left  a  widow,  having  also  lost  her 
only  infant.  The  work  to  Avhich  she  devoted  her  life  was  the  care 
of  children,  and  in  fulfilment  of  this  service  she  lived  successively 
in  many  of  the  most  influential  families  of  this  city  and  Baltimore. 
A  number  of  those  she  watched  over  in  infancy  have  lived  to  occupy 
important  stations  in  society,  both  professional  and  political.  During 
the  thirty-four  years  i^receding  her  death  she  lived  in  one  family.  The 
children  whom  she  brought  up  thoroughly  engaged  her  thoughts  and 
affections.  In  the  discharge  of  her  duties  to  them  she  was  discreet, 
judicious  and  attentive,  sedulously  watching  over  her  tender  charge 
night  and  da}^,  displaying  affectionate  interest,  and  securing  the 
j)erfect  confidence  of  hgr  employers.  Her  sense  of  propriety  was  a 
conspicuous  feature  of  her  character,  constantly  exhibited  in  her 
dress  and  manners  as  well  as  in  her  conversation. 

"She  always  manifested  a  devotion  to  religion,  and  in  her  declining 
years  her  solace  and  hope  were  found  to  be  resting  exclusively  on 
her  Eedeemer.  We  may  safely  say  of  her,  'She  hath  done  what  she 
could,'  and  must  believe  that  she  has  received  the  welcome  declara- 
tion, 'Well  done,  good  and  faithful  servant,  enter  thou  into  the  joy 
of  thy  Lord.'" 

In  the  next  three  or  four  years  after  the  birth  of  my  son  Edward 
in  1841  no  event  of  importance  transpired  in  my  family  or  profession. 
There  were  a  few  cases  of  cholera  maligna  to  be  heard  of  now  and 
then;  but,  with  the  exception  of  one  or  two  cases,  they  did  not 
happen  in  my  practice,  and  no  alarm  was  created.  Indeed,  with 
exception  of  the  cholera  epidemic  in  1832,  our  city  has  been  wonder- 
fully free  since  1820  from  endemic  diseases.  Of  course,  there  were 
small  visitations  of  scarlatina  and  measles ;  but  they  were  very  seldom 
of  a  malignant  type.  It  must  be  confessed  that  in  the  summer 
season  the  deaths  of  infants  are  always  numerous,  a  circumstance 
which  must  be  ascribed  to  the  coml)ined  influence  of  a  hot  atmos- 
phere, ill-ventilated  apartments  and  gross  errors  in  diet.  On  the 
whole,  our  rate  of  mortality,  especially  among  adults,  was  com- 
paratively small. 

My  practice  had  now  become  very  engrossing,  sometimes  oppressive ; 
but  the  income  derived  from  this  source,  and  also  from  my  pro- 
fessorship, had  nearly,  if  not  quite,  enabled  me  to  pay  off  the  heavy 
mortgage  upon  my  house,  so  that  I  began  to  feel  more  like  a  free 
man,  and  to  hope  that  my  wife  and  children  would  have  at  least  a 
moderate  support  in  case  that  I  should  be  disabled. 


FA^MILY  HISTORY  AXD  KEMINISCENCES.  91 

After  a  much  longer  interval  than  usual,   my  seventh   and  last 
child,  George  Woolsey,  was  l)orn  on  the  20th  of  May,  1845.    He  was 
a  little,  delicate  child.     Still,  he  enjoyed  good  health  until  the  summer 
of  1846,  when,  unfortunateh^,  a  necessity  for  weaning  occurred.     No 
diet   seemed  to   suit  him,   and  with   very   little  positive   disease   he 
became    greatly    emaciated    and    very    fretful    and   irritable,    taxing 
the  patience  and  good-nature  of  his  excellent  Mammy  Betsy.     He 
gradually    recovered   when   the    cool   weather   began,    and    ere   long 
became  as  vigorous  as  his  brothers.     In  the  summer  of  1845  Mrs. 
Hodge  took  her  infant  to  her  friends  in  New  York,  and  Mammy 
Betsy  and  the  other  children  were  boarded  at  Princeton,  where  Mrs. 
Hodge  soon  afterwards  joined  them.    As  my  family  were  too  numerous 
to  travel  about  in  the  summer  season  we  engaged  a  stone  building  for 
our   summer  residence   in   Fisher's   Lane,   near  the  main   street   of 
Germantown,  the  first  house  east  of  the  cemetery.     The  house  was  old- 
fasliioned,  but  very  comfortable.     There  was  about  an  acre  of  ground 
attached  to  it,  well  shaded  with  trees,  and  with  a  stable  in  the  rear. 
As  I  had  procured  a  little  coach  and  had  two  horses,  one  of  which 
was  kept  out  of  town,  Mrs.  Hodge  and  the  children  enjoyed  some 
pleasant  drives.    I  also  procured  a  pony  for  the  elder  boys,  which,  of 
course,  proved  very  useful,  while  at  the  same  time  it  afforded  great 
enjoyment.     I  had  taken  the  precaution  previously  of  having  the 
boys    in    succession   instructed   in   horsemanship.      Hence,    although 
many  minor  accidents  occurred  at  various  times,  they  never  sustained 
any  serious  injury.     From  May  to  the  last  of  September  the  time 
was  spent  very  advantageously  and  pleasantly  in  a  region  of  country 
which  has  always  been  famed  for  the  healthful  character  of  the  atmos- 
phere.    Wliile  the  schools  were  still  open  the  elder  boys  went  regu- 
larly into  town  by  the  railroad  cars,  which  passed  then  a  few  rods 
from  the  house,  and  returned  by  three  o'clock  to  dinner.     July  and 
August  were  given  up  to  recreation.     They  had  their  excursions  into 
the  woods  and  lanes,  while,  in  addition  to  the  pleasure  derived  from 
riding  and  driving,  they  had  that  which  was  afforded  them  in  the  care 
of  their  dogs  and  rabbits* 

My  own  practice  at  this  season  was  to  visit  Fisher's  Lane  at  irregu- 
lar intervals,  very  seldom  spending  a  night  out  of  town.  But  still  I 
enjoyed  very  good  health,  so  that  my  business  was  not  interrupted. 

*There  were  two  stables  in  the  rear  of  the  one-acre  lot  on  Fisher's  Lane.  One 
of  these  was  appropriated  to  the  horse  and  pony,  "Fairy,"  while  the  other  was  a  cow- 
stable,    which   we   boys   used   for   our   own    purposes  ad  Wdtum. — E.    B.    H. 


92  FAMILY  HISTORY  AND  REMINISCENCES. 

Nevertheless  in  the  summer  of  18 — ,  I  was  persuaded  for  the  first 
time  to  take  a  lioliday  in  iVugust,  so  far  at  least  as  to  spend  my 
afternoons  and  evenings  in  the  country,  carrying  with  me  my  books 
and  papers  when  I  went.  This,  therefore,  was  quite  a  recreation  to 
mind  and  body,  and  brought  me  more  directly  in  contact  with 
my  children,  especially  as  they  also  at  this  time  were  free  from 
their  schools.  Our  location  at  Fisher's  Lane  was  the  more  pleasant 
from  the  fact  that  my  cousin,  Mrs.  Henry  and  family,  lived  within 
four  minutes'  walk  of  our  house,  and  Mr.  and  Mrs.  James  Bayard, 
with  Mrs.  Bayard's  parents,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Backus,  soon  afterwards 
took  a  house  next  to  ours. 

In  1847  my  eldest  son,  Aspinwall,  being  now  sixteen  years  old,  was 
prepared  for  college,  having  received  his  classical  education  at  the 
Grammar  School  of  the  University  under  the  superintendence  of  the 
Rev.  Samuel  Wylie  Crawford,  a  most  excellent  teacher  and  a  good, 
upright  man.  His  discipline  was  strict,  and  had  been  severe.  It 
was  said  now  to  be  much  moderated,  and  the  boys  regarded  him, 
not  only  with  veneration,  but  also  with  affection.  As  my  brother 
and  myself  had  graduated  at  Princeton,  where  my  father  and  uncle 
had  also  been  taught,  I  was  quite  desirous  to  send  my  boys  to  that  well- 
established  college.  Nevertheless  I  could  not  tolerate  the  idea  of 
exposing  my  children  to  such  temptations  as  college  life  implies  at 
a  time  when  their  principles  had  hardly  been  formed  or  strengthened. 
Home  influences,  especially  that  of  their  mother,  I  deemed  of  para- 
mount importance.  Aspinwall  was,  therefore,  entered  in  the  collegiate 
department  of  the  University  of  Pennsylvania,  the  Rev.  John  Ludlow 
being  then  provost.  Of  course,  he  began  at  the  Preshman  class, 
and  hence  had  to  remain  four  years. 

In  1851  he  received  his  degree  of  Bachelor  of  Arts,  and  determined 
to  devote  himself  to  the  ministry.  I  advised  him,  however,  to  give  at 
least  a  year  to  general  studies  and  to  the  languages.  As  he  did  not 
seem  to  be  very  strong,  and  as  his  uncle  Edward  and  aunt  Emily 
Woolsey  were  in  Europe,  I  determined  tliat  he  should  join  them 
abroad.  He  did  so,  and  travelled  with  them  for  a  few  months  through 
England.  On  their  return  to  America  in  the  fall  x\spinwall  settled 
himself  in  Paris  in  the  house  of  a  Protestant  clergyman,  and  after- 
wards went  to  Switzerland  and  Italy.  In  these  excursions  he  met 
with  several  of  liis  uiotlier's  family,  Mrs.  Charles  Woolsey  and  her 
daughters,  Mr.  Robert  Howland,  and  also  young  Mr.  Joseph  How- 
land,  who  was  then  travelling  with  his  father,  J\lr.  Samuel  Howland. 


FAMILY  HISTORY  AND  REMINISCENCES.  93 

Aspinwall  also,  while  abroad,  made  the  acquaintance  of  Miss  Lottie 
Morse,  whom  he  afterwards  married,  she  having  been  for  some  time 
at  Geneva  under  the  instruction  of  Dr.  Caesar  Malan.  Leaving  such 
pleasant  friends  he  made  his  way  to  Berlin  to  pursue  his  studies  in 
German,  but,  as  he  was  without  friends  or  companions,  in  the  follow- 
ing spring,  being  quite  homesick,  he  returned  to  America  before  a  full 
year  was  ended.  It  gives  me  pleasure  to  mention  that  his  uncle,  Mr. 
William  Aspinwall,  insisted  on  bearing  the  whole  expense  of  this 
trip  to  Europe. 

During  the  next  few  years,  following  1847,  there  was  little 
or  no  change  in  our  family  history.  The  boys  rapidly  de- 
veloped mentally  and  corporeally,  and  greatly  enjoyed  their 
studies  and  amusements.  This  seemed  to  be  especially  true 
of  my  son  Bayard.  He  was  of  a  bright,  healthy,  florid 
complexion,  had  grown  quite  tall,  with  a  well-developed  bony 
and  muscular  system.  _  He  was  full  of  animal  spirits,  but  of 
excellent  morals,  with  strong  religious  tendencies,  securing  the  appro- 
bation of  his  teachers  at  the  Sunday-school  of  St.  Andrew's  Church, 
and  also  of  the  rector,  the  Eev.  William  Bacon  Stevens,  D.D.,  now 
Bishop  Stevens.  All  our  bright  hopes  of  him,  which  were  great, 
were  destined  to  a  speedy  and  sudden  destruction.  About  the  5th  or 
6th  of  Decemlier,  1850,  after  retiring  to  bed,  apparently  in  best 
health  and  spirits,  he  was  awakened  about  two  o'clock  in  the  morning 
with  a  chill.  This  was  followed  by  some  fever  with  much  delirium.  I 
immediately  sent  for  my  friends.  Dr.  Caspar  Morris  and  Dr.  Samuel 
Jackson,  who  sedulously  attended  him,  but  without  being  able  to 
detect  the  precise  character  or  cause  of  his  complaint.  On  the  third 
or  fourth  day  an  eruption  appeared  of  a  peculiar  type  in  the  form  of 
numerous  well  defined  spots  of  a  purplish  color,  upon  the  breaking  out 
of  which  the  dehrium  ceased,  and  he  was  comparatively  comfortable. 
On  the  morning  of  the  eleventh,  however,  he  was  seized  suddenly 
with  intense  pains,  especially  in  the  right  temple.  A  few  leeches 
were  applied  with  other  remedies,  and  the  pain  greatly  diminished, 
but  his  delirium  returned  and  gradually  increased.  Before  one  o'clock 
he  became  comatose,  with  an  effusion  of  tears  from  the  eyes.  A 
short  time  afterwards  he  expired.  So  my  bright  boy  passed  away 
upon  the  morning  of  the  11th  of  December,  one  day  prior  to  the 
termination  of  his  seventeenth  year.  I  can  only  describe  this  affliction 
as  overwhelming.  Time  has  softened,  but  not  destroyed  it.  His 
poor  mother,  who  had  constantly  watched  him  during  the  night,  kept 


94  FAMILY  HISTORY  AND  REMINISCENCES. 

up  to  the  last;  but  then  her  nervous  system  was  disturbed,  and  she 
required  immediate  and  constant  attention.  Bayard's  funeral  occurred 
on  the  l-ith  of  December  in  the  presence  of  his  companions  at  college 
and  of  our  family  friends.  Dr.  Stevens,  Dr.  Henry  A.  Boardman,  and 
our  then  new  pastor.  Dr.  Shields,  conducted  the  services.  His  remains 
were  the  first  to  be  deposited  in  my  lot  at  Laurel  Hill,  which  I  had 
purchased  several  years  previously,  and  to  which  I  now  translated 
the  remains  of  my  son  Charles.  At  the  time  of  his  decease  Bayard 
was  a  member  of  the  Jimior  Class  of  the  University,  where  he  had 
secured  the  esteem  of  his  teachers  and  the  love  of  his  companions. 

The  following  year  my  son,  Hugh  Lenox,  then  fifteen  years  of  age, 
became  a  member  of  the  Freshman  Class  of  the  University  of  Penn- 
sylvania. 

My  health  continued  good,  notwithstanding  the  fact  that  an- 
other decade*  had  passed,  until  February,  1853,  just  before  the  close 
of  the  lectures,  when  I  had  a  very  severe  catarrh,  and  some  fever,  so 
that  my  voice  was  in  some  measure  lost.  Nevertheless  by  a  little  active 
treatment  there  was  a  rapid  solution  of  the  complaint,  and  I  was  able 
to  finish  my  course. 

I  now  thought  it  best  to  change  my  summer  residence  at  Fisher's 
Lane  for  a  more  elevated  and  airy  position,  and  accordingly  rented 
from  Mr.  George  Carpenter  a  very  comfortable  house  at  the  corner 
of  Gorgas's  Lane  and  the  Township  Line  Eoad,  a  mile  east  of 
Germantown,  opposite  to  Mr.  Carpenter's  large  establishment.  The 
house  was  about  forty  feet  square  with  a  basement  story.  There  was 
a  long  parlor  on  the  south  side,  and  a  dining-room  and  a  servants' 
room,  or  pantry,  on  the  north.  In  the  second  story  there  were  four 
good  bed-rooms,  with  a  wide  hall  extending  the  length  of  the  house, 
and  also  a  bath-room.  In  the  third  story  there  were  six  rooms. 
The  middle  room  on  the  north  was  occupied  by  a  tank  supplied  with 
excellent  water  by  means  of  a  ram  at  a  spring  at  the  bottom  of  a  hill 
behind  the  house.  The  roof  was  flat,  and  the  whole  was  surmounted 
by  a  square  cupola  with  two  windows  on  each  side,  from  which  there 
was  an  extensive  outlook,  especially  to  the  south,  where,  it  was  said, 
that  the  city,  some  eight  miles  off,  was  visible.  This  place  proved  to 
be  a  pleasant  resort  to  the  boys,  and  was  occupied  as  a  study  upon 
occasions.  The  plot  of  ground  occupied  ten  acres,  the  house  being 
situated  toward  the  centre,  facing  the  Township  Line  Eoad.     The 

•Father  seems  to  allude  to  the  fact  that  the  few  illnesses  from  which  he  suffered 
seemed  to  come  at  intervals  of  ten  years.— E.   B.   H. 


FAMILY  HISTORY  AND  REMINISCEXCES.  95 

front  portion  was  reserved  partly  for  grass  and  partly  for  the  cultiva- 
tion of  corn  or  potatoes.  Behind  was  a  garden  of  flowers  and  vege- 
tables; the  garden  extending  also  toward  the  south  side  of  the  lot. 
There  was  quite  a  convenient  stable  for  horses  and  carriages,  and 
also  an  ice-house.  Xear-bv  was  a  delightful  small  grove  of  trees, 
providing  a  pleasant  retreat  even  during  the  noon  time  of  a  sum- 
mer's day.  Altogether  we  were  delightfully  situated,  and  were  per- 
mitted to  enjoy  this  retreat  during  nine  successive  summers. 

My  brother-in-law,  George  Woolsey  Aspinwall,  who  assisted  me  in 
procuring  this  house  in  Gorgas's  Lane,  was  then  in  very  delicate  health 
in  consequence  of  a  severe  pneumonic  attack.  From  this  attack  he 
but  partially  recovered,  and  determined  to  sail  around  Cape  Horn 
to  Panama  in  a  new  steam-vessel.  This  nlan  was  frustrated,  however, 
by  his  being  wrecked  at  sea.  Some  of  the  passengers  were  lost,  but 
the  greater  portion  were  taken  up  by  a  foreign  vessel,  and  arrived, 
after  great  suffering,  in  an  exhausted  condition  at  JSTew  York,  Mr. 
Aspinwall's  disease  was  thus  confirmed.  IvTevertheless  he  made  a 
voyage  to  Havana,  and  afterwards  went  to  Europe.  He  returned  to 
Philadelphia  the  last  of  May,  and  took  a  house  in  Germantown,  near 
the  main  street.  But  he  did  not  long  survive,  his  death  occur- 
ring June  19,  1854,  when  he  Avas  in  his  fortieth  year.  He 
left  a  wife,  formerly  Miss  Annie  Coleman,  and  two  children, 
Georgina,  who  was  nine  years  of  age,  and  Edward  Coleman,  two 
years  old.  My  brother  Woolsey  was  a  tall,  fine-looking  man,  with 
a  well-developed  frame.  He  had  always  been  very  healthy,  and  was 
remarkable  for  his  cheerfulness,  and  even  sprightliness,  of  manner. 
He  was  exceedingly -amiable,  possessing  a  very  loving  heart,  attaching 
himself  greatly  to  his  friends,  and,  of  course,  drawing  them  very 
closely  to  himself.  To  me  personally  the  loss  was  very  great,  as  he 
had  been  a  dear,  affectionate  brother  to  me  as  well  as  to  his  sister. 
As  he  lived  in  Philadeljihia,  and  had  been  for  a  time  an  inmate  of 
our  house,  our  mutual  interest  in  him  became  very  strong.  It  seemed 
mournful,  as  well  as  mysterious,  that  such  a  young  man  should  have 
been  cut  off  so  early  in  his  career  when  there  was  every  prospect  of 
his  attaining  influence  and  becoming  a  most  useful  member  of 
society. 

In  1853  my  son  William,  being  then  fifteen  years  of  age,  followed 
the  example  of  his  brothers,  and  entered  the  Freshman  Class  of  the 
University. 

My  professional  duties  had  gone  on  without  any  serious  interrup- 


96  F.OriLY  HISTORY  AND  KEMIXISCENCES. 

tion,  and,  although  occasional!}'  oppressive,  were  discharged  without 
an}''  great  inconvenience.  A  serious  trouble,  however,  was  gradually 
coming  upon  me.  Although  I  had  always  been  near-sighted,  a  cir- 
cumstance which  necessitated  the  use  of  spectacles  since  I  was  four- 
teen years  of  age,  nevertheless  my  sight  was,  within  proper  focal 
distance,  clear  and  accurate.  About  the  year  1848  or  1849  a  little 
dulness  of  vision  was  perceived,  which  almost  insensibly  increased, 
so  that  reading  was  becoming  an  effort.  Hence,  when  I  was  called 
upon  in  March,  1850,  to  deliver  a  valedictory  address  to  the  medical 
class,  it  was  necessary  that  my  manuscript  should  be  coj^ied  in  large, 
round  letters  that  I  might  read  it  correctly.  This  was  the  last  time 
I  ever  delivered  an  address  from  manuscript.  Nevertheless  this  defect 
of  vision  increased  so  gradually  that  for  years  it  did  not  seriously 
impede  me  in  the  discharge  of  my  professional  duties,  as  I  managed  to 
read  print,  to  write  prescriptions  and  even  compose  with  pen  in  hand 
my  work  on  "Diseases  Peculiar  to  Women."  The  latter  part  of  this 
work  was  finished,  in  August,  1860,  with  considerable  difficulty,  so 
far  as  my  eye-sight  was  concerned,  and  this  was  the  last  effort  which 
I  could  make  with  my  pen.  With  the  assistance  of  my  son  Lenox, 
now  a  practising  physician  and  surgeon,  this  work  was  carried  through 
the  press  and  published  in  November,  1860. 

In  my  valedictory  address  to  the  graduating  class  in  March, 
1850,  I  gave  a  short  notice  of  the  resignation  of  Dr.  N. 
Chapman,  Professor  of  the  Practice  of  Medicine,  and  ex- 
pressed the  high  sense  always  entertained  of  his  great  excel- 
lency both  as  a  practitioner  and  as  a  teacher.  A  large  propor- 
tion of  the  reputation  of  the  University  was  due  to  the  two  eminent 
professors  of  the  Practice  of  Medicine,  Dr.  Eush  and  Dr.  Chapman; 
both  of  whom  were  exceedingly  popular  with  the  students.  This 
popularity  was  due  to  their  eloquence  and  their  urbanity,  as  well 
as  their  talents  and  attainments.  They  were  diverse  from  one 
another  in  most  respects,  and  advocated  theories  which  can  hardly  be 
said  to  have  borne  the  test  of  experience.  These  men,  nevertheless, 
had  crowds  of  admirers.  Dr.  Eush  was  very  enthusiastic  and  dogmatic, 
and  made,  therefore,  a  great  impression  upon  the  minds,  and,  of 
course,  upon  the  opinions  and  practice  of  the  young  men.  His 
grand  doctrine  of  morbid  excitement,  leading  even  to  the  maintenance 
of  the  unity  of  disease,  was  enforced  with  so  much  earnestness  and 
sincerity  that  even  minds  of  much  cultivation  were  carried  away  in 
sympathy  with  their  teacher.  He  was  among  the  early  professors  of 
the  University,   having  been   associated   with   Dr.   Morgan   and    Dr. 


FAMILY  HISTORY  AND  REMINISCENCES.         '  97 

Shippen,  the  founders  of  the  Medical  Department.  He  became  pro- 
fessor of  the  Practice  of  Medicine  on  the  resignation  of  Professor 
Kuhn.  He  contributed  greatly  to  the  reputation  which  our  University 
had  acquired  toward  the  beginning  of  the  present  century.  He  died 
at  his  residence  on  Fourth  Street  in  May,  1813.  An  immense  crowd 
attended  his  funeral  procession  to  the  place  of  interment  in  Christ 
Church  Burying-Ground,  at  the  corner  of  Fifth  and  Arch  Streets, 
manifesting  in  this  way  their  great  regard  for  him  personally,  as  well 
as  their  admiration  of  him,  not  only  as  a  physician  and  a  professor,  but 
also  as  one  of  those  noble  patriots  who  signed  the  Declaration  of 
Independence  in  1776. 

Dr.  Benjamin  Smith  Barton,  who  enjoyed  a  great  reputation  as  a 
botanist,  and  who  had  been  for  some  time  professor  of  Materia  Medica, 
succeeded  Dr.  Kush  in  the  practical  chair.  His  health,  however,  was 
very  delicate,  and,  after  vainly  attempting  to  recruit,  he  died  in 
December,  1815.  This  was  in  the  middle  of  the  course  of  lectures, 
and  the  deficiency  in  the  course  of  instruction  upon  the  practice  of 
medicine,  thus  created,  was  partly  supplied  by  the  remaining  pro- 
fessors, who  discoursed  on  various  practical  subjects.  Dr.  Chapman, 
who,  since  the  death  of  Dr.  Eush  in  1813,  had  occupied  the  chair  of 
Materia  Medica,  was  now  appointed  to  be  the  successor  of  Dr.  Barton. 
I  was  among  the  pupils  who  had  the  pleasure  of  attending  his  first 
efforts  in  this  department  during  the  winter  of  1816-1817,  and  the 
winter  of  1817-1818.  We  soon  found  that  the  hour  of  his  dis- 
courses had  the  charm  of  novelty.  He  had  not  entirely  abandoned  the 
opinions  he  had  received  from  his  teacher.  Dr.  Eush,  but  had  greatly 
modified  them  by  promulgating  his  own  peculiar  views  as  to  morbid 
irritation  and  sympathy.  These  opinions,  although  now  regarded  as  very 
superficial  and  unsatisfactory,  certainly  had  one  advantage.  They 
were  practical,  and  enabled  the  young  physician  to  enter  the  sick 
room  with  more  confidence  in  himself  and  his  profession  than  was 
otherwise  possible.  His  course  as  a  teacher  was  long  and  successful, 
extending  really  from  1807  to  1850.  During  the  latter  part  of  his 
career  his  strength  and  even  his  mental  power  had  become  weakened. 
His  resignation  was,  therefore,  offered  and  accepted,  and  he  after- 
wards lived  in  great  retirement,  both  mind  and  body  gradually  failing, 
until  he  died  early  in  July,  1853.  He  was  buried  on  the  4th  day  of 
that  month  in  a  vault  connected  with  St.  Stephen's  Church,  on  Tenth 
Street.  He  left  behind  him  the  reputation  of  being  probably  the  best 
practical  physician  Philadelphia  had  ever  enjoyed,  and  numerous 
7 


98  FAMILY  HISTORY  AND  REMINISCENCES. 

friends  to  -whom  he  had  become  endeared  b}'  his  social  qualities  and 
excellent  humor. 

About  this  time  the  profession  had  to  lament  the  loss  of  Dr. 
William  E.  Horner,  who  had  been  made  the  professor  of  Anatomy 
upon  the  resignation  of  Dr.  Physick  in  1831,  and  who^had  obtained  a 
great  reputation  as  a  practical  anatomist.  His  steady  industry  and 
perseverance,  as  well  as  his  ability,  in  this  department  has  a  standing, 
and,  we  trust,  a  permanent  memorial,  preserved  in  the  University 
under  the  name  of  the  Wistar  and  Horner  Museum  ;  a  large  portion 
of  this  being  a  collection  by  his  own  hands.  It  was  generously 
bestowed  by  him  in  his  last  testament  to  the  school  which  it  so  much 
adorned.  The  value  of  this  gift  is  estimated  at  $10,000,  and  it  has 
rendered  our  anatomical  museum  far  sujjerior  to  anything  in  the 
United  States,  and  made  it  a  rival  even  of  some  of  the  most  ancient 
museums  of  Europe.  An  organic  disease  of  the  heart  in  its  large 
blood-vessels  gave  him  great  distress  during  the  last  year  or  two  of 
his  life.  The  immediate  cause  of  his  death,  however,  in  March,  1853, 
was  peritonitis.  He  was  always  one  of  my  best  friends.  I  had 
become  very  intimate  with  him  toward  the  close  of  the  session  of  1815- 
1816.  He  had  been  a  surgeon  in  the  war  with  England,  and  at  that 
time  entered  the  practical  rooms  of  Dr.  Wistar,  to  whom,  and  to  his 
successor,  Dr.  Physick,  his  labors  became  more  and  more  important, 
so  that  in  1820  he  was  made  adjunct  professor  of  anatomy,  and  after- 
wards full  professor.  As  formerly  mentioned,  he  was  associated 
with  Dr.  Dewees  in  the  teaching  of  Dr.  Chapman's  class,  and  when  this 
had  become  organized  as  a  Medical  Institute,  he  requested  me  to  be 
associated  with  him  as  a  teacher  of  surgery  in  May,  1823.  An 
intimacy  thus  continued  and  strengthened  was  prolonged  during  his 
life,  and  I  must  always  regard  him  as  one  of  my  best  benefactors. 
Dr.  Leidy  was  immediately  elected  successor  of  Dr.  Horner  in  the 
anatomical  chair. 

My  health,  which  had  been  very  good  since  18-10,  had  a  trifling  in- 
terruption in  February,  1853,  owing  to  cold  afEecting  chiefly  the 
larynx,  causing  loss  of  voice.  This  seemed  to  be  quite  unfortunate, 
as  I  was  much  engaged  with  lecturing  prior  to  the  termination  of  the 
course.  A  good  bleeding,  however,  with  some  adjuncts,  enabled  me  to 
resume  my  duties  in  a  lew  days. 

In  1855  my  son  Edward,  being  fourteen  years  of  age,  was  entered 
in  the  Freshman  class  of  the  University,  the  same  year  that  his  brother 
Lenox  was  graduated  as  Bachelor  of  Arts. 


FAMILY  HISTORY  AND  REMINISCENCES.  9^ 

At  the  Comniencement  Lenox  delivered  the  Greek  Salutatory 
Oration,  having  taken  the  first  honor  in  his  class.  After  some  re- 
flection he  intimated  his  wish  to  study  medicine.  To  this  proposition 
I  gave  my  assent,  although  with  a  nervous  apprehension  on  the  sub- 
ject for  fear  that  he  might  be  called  upon  to  encounter  the  anxieties 
and  responsibilities  to  which  I  had  been  subjected.  I  had  many  years 
previously  formed  the  opinion  that  almost  every  young  man  should 
follow  the  bent  of  his  inclinations,  or  rather  his  taste,  in  determining 
his  occupation  for  life;  for  I  felt  confident  that,  in  every  business, 
demanding  for  its  successful  pursuit  devotion  of  mind  and  heart,  such 
zeal  could  hardly  be  expected  unless  the  work  was  voluntarily  under- 
taken. Nevertheless  I  thought  that  such  desires  should  never  be 
formed,  or  at  any  rate  indulged,  until  after  a  complete  college  edu- 
cation, which,  while  it  enlarges  one's  knowledge  of  literary  and  scien- 
tific pursuits,  at  the  same  time  matures  the  judgment  and  gives  a 
wider  view  of  human  affairs.  As  already  intimated  Aspinwall  thus 
entered,  upon  the  study  of  theology,  and  eventually  my  son  William 
also,  who  was  graduated  at  the  University  in  1857,  after  deliberating 
the  matter  in  his  own  mind  for  a  year,  entered  the  theological  semi- 
nary at  Princeton  in  1858. 

Lenox  immediately  commenced  in  the  fall  of  1855  to  attend  medical 
lectures  at  the  University,  nominally  as  my  student,  but  receiving  in- 
struction from  Dr.  Henry  H.  Smith  and  several  others,  kindly  ex- 
tended to  him  in  my  behalf.  He  received  his  medical  diploma  in  the 
spring  of  1858,  and  in  the  fall  of  that  year  enjoyed  the  privilege  of 
becoming  an  interne  of  the  Pennsylvania  Hospital,  where  he  had  a 
term  of  service  more  than  usually  long. 

Edward  was  graduated  in  college  in  the  summer  of  1859,  being  a 
few  months  beyond  his  eighteenth  year.  He  also  took  the  first  honor, 
but  being  rather  young  he  did  not  commence  his  theological  studies, 
to  which  his  attention  was  turned,  until  1860;  so  that  both  he  and 
William  had  the  advantage  of  a  year  for  reading  and  studying  prior 
to  their  theological  course. 

My  son  George  entered  the  collegiate  department  of  the 
University  in  1861,  having  received  his  classical  education  chiefly 
af  the  school  of  Mr.  Faires;  the  preceptor  of  his  brothers. 
Dr.  Crawford,  having  unfortunately  resigned  his  position  at  the 
Academy.  George  received  his  degree  of  A.  B.  in  1865,- and  imme- 
diately determined  to  commence  his  studies  for  the  ministry  at  the 
Protestant  Episcopal  Divinity  School,  which  had  lately  been  estab- 


100  PAMILT  HISTORY  AND  REMINISCENCES. 

lished  in  "West  Philadelphia.  In  the  autumn,  however,  he  was  unfor- 
tunately taken  sick  with  typhoid  fever,  which  confined  him  for  some 
six  or  eight  weeks.  The  class  with  which  he  was  connected  at  the 
school  finished  their  studies  in  1868;  but,  as  I  determined  to  send 
William  and  George  to  Europe  for  recreation  and  improvement,  the 
latter  did  not  at  that  time  take  orders.  On  the  27th  of  June  the  two 
boys,  in  company  with  their  aunts,  Mrs.  Eoosevelt  and  Miss  Aspinwall, 
sailed  in  the  Yille  de  Paris  for  Havre.  The  party  visited  Paris,  then 
Switzerland,  and  afterwards  the  Netherlands  and  Holland.  Their 
aunts  returned  to  Paris  to  meet  other  members  of  the  family,  and  the 
boys  afterwards  visited  Sweden,  and  then  St.  Petersburg  and  Moscow. 
Subsequently  they  went  to  Berlin  and  met  their  aunts  at  Dresden. 
Soon  afterwards  they  pursued  their  course  to  Vienna,  Munich,  Verona 
and  Venice.  The  latter  part  of  the  winter  and  spring  was  spent  at 
Eome,  whence  excursions  were  made  to  Naples,  Capri,  etc.  They 
returned  north  by  the  way  of  the  Italian  Lakes  and  the  Mont  Cenis 
pass;  the  railroad  tunnel  not  being  then  completed.  In  May  the 
party  went  to  England,  and,  after  spending  some  weeks  in  London, 
visited  the  Isle  of  Wight,  Chester,  Salisbury,  York,  and  other  places 
of  interest.  Afterwards  they  went  to  Edinburg,  the  Scottish  lakes 
and  Glasgow,  and  from  thence  they  sailed  for  Belfast,  in  Ireland,  and 
visited  the  Giant's  Causeway,  and  Londonderry,  descending  to  Dublin, 
to  Cork,  and  to  Queenstown,  whence  they  embarked  for  home  in  the 
Scotia,  arriving  in  New  York  on  the  14th  of  September,  after  an 
absence  of  nearly  fifteen  months.  The  whole  time  was  passed  very 
advantageously  and  pleasantly.  They  were  mercifully  preserved  from 
accident  and  disease.  They  returned  immediately  to  Philadelphia, 
where  William  became  interested  in  a  mission-school  in  the  north- 
west part  of  the  city,  which  in  May,  1870,  was  organized  into  a  church 
under  the  name  of  the  Columbia  Avenue  Presbyterian  Church.  It 
was  situated  at  the  southeast  corner  of  Columbia  Avenue  and  Twenty- 
first  Street.  A  handsome  stone  chapel  was  immediately  erected,  which 
was  dedicated  on  the  seventh  of  December,  1870.  William  was  mar- 
ried on  the  13th  of  April,  1871,  to  Miss  Alice  Cogswell  Weld,  of  Hart- 
ford, Conn.,  and  a  dwelling-house  being  erected  on  a  lot  next  to  the 
church,  he  and  his  wife  took  possession  on  the  7th  of  December,  1871. 
He  has  now  every  prospect  of  building  up  a  church  in  this  important 
location.* 

•William  took  for  his  first  charge  what  was  then  known  as  the  Church  of 
Red  Mills,  near  Lake  Mahopac,  in  the  State  of  New  York.  As  he  was  a  bachelor  he 
put  a  family  in  the  manse  and  hoarded  with  them.    The  church  building  was  refitted 


FAMILY  HISTORY  AND  REMINISCENCES.  101 

George  immediately  applied  for  orders  in  the  Episcopal  Church, 
and  was  ordained  deacon  on  the  12th  of  November,  1869.  He  was 
first  employed  as  a  reader  to  Bishop  Stevens  at  Holy  Trinity  Church, 
and  then  offered  his  services  to  Dr.  Foggo,  rector  of  Christ  Church,  in 
the  spring  of  1870.  The  following  June,  as  Dr.  Foggo  was  to  be 
absent,  George  was  ordained  a  presb}i:er  that  he  might  take  full  charge 
of  the  church.  In  the  autumn  of  1871,  he  was  appointed  assistant 
rector  to  Dr.  Foggo,  both  of  them  talcing  charge  at  the  same  time 
of  Calvary  Church,  which  was  built  as  a  memorial  to  Bishop  White. 
It  was  situated  at  the  corner  of  Margaretta  and  Front  Streets.  In 
this  position  George  has  continued.  He  has  become  engaged  to  be 
married  to  Miss  Mary  D.  Powell.  He  anticipates  the  consummation 
of  his  happy  prospects  on  the  23d  of  April,  1872. 

Having  mentioned  the  choice  which  had  already  been  made  by  my 
boys  of  their  professions,  I  may  state  here  that  Aspinwall,  after  fin- 
ishing his  theological  studies  at  Princeton,  accepted  a  call  from  the 
Presbyterian  Church  at  Mauch  Chunk  in  November,  1856.  On  the 
14th  of  May,  1857,  he  was  married  to  Miss  Lottie  G.  Morse,  daughter 
of  the  Eev.  Eichard  C.  Morse,  lately  one  of  the  editors  and  proprietors 
of  the  New  York  Observer.  He  remained  at  Mauch  Chunk  for  eight 
years.  In  February,  1866,  he  accepted  a  call  to  Hartford,  Conn.,  and 
on  the  first  of  May  moved  his  family  to  that  city.  There,  after  much 
labor  and  anxiety,  he  has  been  favored  in  having  a  new  building 
erected  at  the  corner  of  College  Avenue  and  Clinton  Street.  The 
church  is  now  happily  out  of  debt  with  every  prospect  of  success. 

My  son  Lenox,  having  finished  his  term  of  service  at  the  hospital, 
opened  his  office  in  my  house  for  the  practice  of  medicine,  devoting 
himself  chiefly  to  surgery.  He  soon  became  associated  with  Dr.  Ches- 
ton  ]\Iorris  and  with  Dr.  Boiling  in  private  teaching.  Dr.  Morris 
presently  retired,  and  Dr.  Hutchinson  was  put  in  his  place.  These 
three  gentlemen  have  since  continued  as  co-workers  in  this  important 
business.  They  have  been  successful  in  establishing  an  excellent  sum- 
mer and  winter  school.  Lenox  also  became  an  assistant  to  Dr.  Smith 
in  the  surgical  clinic  at  the  LTniversity.  The  Civil  War  broke  out  in 
1861.  Out  of  thoughtful  and  affectionate  consideration  for  his  par- 
ents Lenox  did  not  regularly  enter  the  army,  yet  on  various  occasions 

under  his  administration  and  greatly  improved.  Mr.  George  Lane,  of  New  York  city, 
spent  some  months  of  the  year  at  a  summer  home  on  the  lake,  and  he  and  his  wife 
and  daughter  did  much  to  brighten  William's  life  at  this  place.  He  resigned 
this  charge  in  1868  in  order  to  take  advantage  of  the  trip  to  Europe  described  in  the 
text.— E.   B.   H. 


103  FAMILY  HISTORY  AND  REMINISCENCES. 

performed  duty  as  a  volunteer  surgeon,  making  several  excursions 
to  the  York  Eiver  during  the  Peninsula  campaign,  and  before  and 
after  the  battle  of  Williamsburg.  He  spent  also  much  time  in  the  hos- 
pitals on  York  Eiver.  In  1863  he  had  charge  in  a  military  hospital 
in  West  Philadelphia,  and,  on  the  invasion  of  Pennsylvania,  in  June, 
1863,  offered  his  services  to  the  Surgeon-General  of  Pennsylvania. 
He  was  instrumental  in  establishing  hospitals  at  Harrisburg,  and  was 
afterward  sent  on  professional  services  to  Shippensburg  and  other 
places.  After  the  .  memorable  and  decisive  battle  of  Gettysburg 
he  was  immediately  put  in  charge  of  a  large  hospital  in  the  college 
filled  with  Confederate  wounded.  The  college  was  not  long  after- 
wards emptied  by  the  removal  of  the  patients  into  hospital  tents,  and 
Lenox  returned  home  in  August  much  exhausted  and  threatened  with 
a  serious  illness.  Normal  health  soon  returned  and  he  resumed  his 
professional  duties  here  with  his  usual  activity.  In  the  following 
year  (1864),  after  the  terrible  battles  of  the  Wilderness,  he  again  vol- 
unteered for  Fredericksburg,  and,  in  connection  with  Dr.  Hamilton, 
of  Xew  York,  was  put  in  charge  of  a  hospital  in  a  Baptist  Church. 
Lenox,  fortunatel}'  for  his  patients,  had  them  located  in  the  audience 
room  of  the  building,  which  was  large  and  airy,  while  the  patients  of 
Dr.  Hamilton  were  lodged  in  the  basement  story,  and  did  not  fare  so 
well.  This  was  Lenox's  last  military  excursion.  He  came  home  to 
be  employed  in  the  practice  and  teaching  of  surgery,  acquiring  a  con- 
siderable reputation  among  the  students,  and  even  among  the  pro- 
fessors of  the  LTniversity,  so  that,  in  the  fall  of  1870,  without  solici- 
tation, he  received  the  appointment  of  Demonstrator  of  Anatomy  from 
his  Alma  Mater,  lecturing  during  the  winter  season  on  Regional 
Anatomy.  In  August,  1868,  he  became  engaged  to  be  married  to 
Miss  Harriet  Eoosevelt  Woolsey,  daughter  of  the  late  Charles  Wool- 
sey,  Esq.,  of  New  York,  and  was  married  January  7th,  1869. 

My  son,  Edward,  after  spending  four  winters  at  Princeton,  received 
a  call  to  the  Presbyterian  Church  at  Burlingion,  New  Jersey,  a  posi- 
tion made  vacant  by  the  resignation  of  the  Eev.  John  Chester,  who 
had  received  a  call  to  a  church  in  Washington  City.  Edward  entered 
upon  his  duties  in  May,  1864,  and  has  prosecuted  them  with  much 
and  gratifying  success.  In  June,  1867,  he  became  engaged  to  be  mar- 
ried to  Miss  Alice  Cogswell  Van  Eensselaer,  but  was  not  married  until 
May,  1868.  His  wife  is  the  daughter  of  the  late  Eev.  Cortlandt  Van 
Eensselaer,  D.D.,  of  the  Presbyterian  Church. 

I  now  turn  again  to  the  story  of  my  own  progress.     I  have  already 


FAMILY  HISTOEY  AND  REMINISCENCES.  103 

intimated  that  I  liad  completed  and  published  my  work  on  Diseases 
Peculiar  to  Women.  The  second  edition  of  this  book  was  prepared 
and  published  in  1870. 

The  war  of  1861  having  commenced,  my  Southern  practice  was 
destroyed.  I  had  now  therefore  more  leisure,  and  determined  to  ful- 
fill a  long  cherished  idea  of  remodelling  and  working  out  in  full  my 
lectures  in  the  University  on  Obstetrics.  I  secured  an  excellent 
amanuensis  in  Mr.  De  France,  and  commenced  reading  and  writing 
for  the  purpose  in  view  in  May,  1861.  I  devoted  two  hours  every  day 
to  this  work,  and  was  gratified  to  find  how  much  could  be  accomplished 
by  this  regular  devotion  of  a  short  period  of  daily  labor.  My  work 
therefore,  was  ready  for  the  press  in  July,  1863.  ]\Iessrs.  Lea  &  Blanch- 
ard  agreed,  in  August,  1863,  to  publish  it  in  one  large  quarto  volume  in 
double  column,  making  a  book  of  five  hundred  pages.  It  was  illustrated 
by  handsome  lithographic  engravings  copied  from  photographs,  and  also 
by  wood-engravings  taken  from  different  authors.  The  preparation 
for  the  publication  of  this  book  occupied  my  son  Lenox  and  myself, 
with  the  assistance  of  the  amanuensis,  very  laboriously  for  nearly  nine 
months,  so  that  the  work  did  not  appear  until  1864. 

My  other  publications  were  of  very  minor  importance,  consisting  of 
reviews  in  the  North  American  Medical  and  Surgical  Journal,  together 
with  papers  concerning  cases  of  puerperal  fever,  observations  with  re- 
gard to  the  modus  operandi  of  cold,  and  also  concerning  the  various 
forms  of  congestion  dependent  on  irritation,  or  sedation,  or  mechan- 
ical causes.  In  1833  I  published  in  the  American  Journal  of  the  Medical 
Sciences  my  views  and  experiences  of  cholera  maligna,  recommending 
the  "evacuating"  system,  which  of  late  has  been  improperly  called 
"eliminating."  My  professional  duties  were  subsequently  too  absorb- 
ing to  allow  of  my  resorting  to  the  pen  until  the  last  few  years,  when 
a  few  papers  of  mine  appeared  again  in  the  Medicid  Journal  in  the 
form  of  reviews,  and  also  two  papers  on  the  subject  of  synclitism ;  a 
theme,  in  my  judgment,  of  great  importance. 

The  diminution  of  my  power  of  vision,  which,  as  already  men- 
tioned, was  first  manifest  about  1858  or  1859,  had  been  very  gradually, 
but  steadily,  increasing,  so  that  some  points  of  practice  had  to  be 
abandoned,  and  I  began  to  refuse  taking  more  patients.  My  lectures, 
too,  had  to  be  delivered  without  the  aid  of  notes;  a  method  which 
I  did  not  find  difficult;  but  it  became  every  year  more  and  more 
troublesome  to  make  the  proper  illustrations  and  demonstrations  before 
the  medical  class.     Hence,  it  was  necessary,  at  the  termination  of  the 


104  FAMILY  HISTORY  AND  REMINISCENCES. 

course  of  1862-63,  to  offer  my  resignation  to  the  Board  of 
Trustees  of  my  professorship  which  I  had  retained  for  twenty- 
eight  years.  My  resignation  was  accepted  by  the  Board,  who  sent 
me  a  complimentary  letter,  and  bestowed  upon  me  the  title  of 
•"Emeritus  Professor."  The  class  also  requested  that  I  should  sit  for 
my  portrait.  To  this  request  I  acceded,  and  the  painting,  executed 
by  Mr.  Waugh,.  was  presented  by  them  to  the  Wistar  and  Horner 
]\Iuseum.  In  this  Avay  my  course  as  a  teacher  of  medicine  was 
terminated;  a  course  which  began  privately  in  the  Medical  Institute, 
and  was  then  publicly  continued  in  the  University  of  Pennsylvania. 
The  forty  years  thvis  passed  among  many  anxieties  and  labors,  both  as  a 
teacher  and  practitioner,  were,  I  venture  to  sa}^,  prosperous,  and  at 
the  same  time  years  of  usefulness  to  the  ^jrofession,  and  also  to  the 
public.  My  work  at  any  rate  is  virtually  ended.  Nine  years,  it  is 
true,  have  since  elapsed,  and  it  is  possible  that  I  may  be  spared  a 
little  longer,  yet  1  cannot  expect  to  exert  much  more  influence. 
Indeed  medical  science  has  changed,  and  is  still  changhig  rapidly. 
Many  new  facts  have  been  developed,  especially  through  the  medium 
of  the  microscope  and  of  chemical  analysis,  and  of  course  new 
hypotheses  and  new  2)rinciples  have  aj)peared,  very  materially  altering 
the  practice  of  the  profession.  Pharmacy,  too,  by  the  agents  just  men- 
tioned, has  become  almost  a  new  science.  Old  remedial  agents  have 
been  carefully  analj^zed,  and  their  constituents  have  been  j^re- 
sented  in  a  more  condensed  and  active  form,  while  numerous 
remedial  agents  of  the  most  active  and  efficient  character  have  been 
discovered,  or  rather  created,  by  the  art  of  chemistry,  often  giving 
us  control  over  diseases  formerly  regarded  as  incurable,  and  acting, 
in  many  cases,  as  excellent  and  more  valuable  substitutes  for  old 
remedies.  The  crowning  victory  is  the  introduction  in  this  country  of 
anaesthesia  by  Morton,  Jackson,  and  Warren,  who  recognized  this  won- 
derful power  in  ether  when  administered  by  inhalation.  After- 
wards Simpson,  of  Edinburgh,  after  many  even  dangerous  experi- 
ments upon  himself  and  others,  established  the  fact  that  chloroform 
was  even  more  efficient  than  ether.  Experience  has  yet  to  determine 
which  is  the  more  valuable  agent  for  the  purpose.  The  power  of  each 
is  complete  in  suspending  all  sensil)ility  even  under  the  most  severe 
operations;  but  so  many  deaths  have  resulted  in  the  exhibition  of 
chloroform,  and,  on  the  other  hand,  so  few  comparatively  in  the  exhibi- 
tion of  ether,  that  piil)lic  confidence  in  this  country  is  given  to  tbe 


FAMILY  HISTORY  AND  REMINISCENCES.  105 

latter,  notwithstanding  the  fact  that  chloroform  is  more  agreeable  to 
the  smell,  and  operates  more  speedily. 


Margaret  E.  Hodge  died  on  the  19th  of  December,  1866.  "Blessed 
are  the  dead  which  die  in  the  Lord,  for  they  rest  f  i-om  their  labors  and 
their  works  do  follow  them."  "The  heart  of  her  husband  doth 
safely  trust  in  her,  so  that  he  shall  have  no  need  of  spoil.  She 
will  do  him  good  and  not  evil  all  the  days  of  his  life.  She  worketh 
willingly  with  her  hands.  She  stretcheth  out  her  hand  to  the  poor; 
yea,  she  reacheth  forth  her  hands  to  the  needy.  Strength  and  honor 
are  her  clothing.  She  openeth  her  mouth  with  wisdom,  and  in  her 
tongue  is  the  law  of  kindness.  Her  children  arise  up  and  call  her 
blessed ;  her  husband  also,  and  he  praiseth  her.  Many  daughters  have 
done  virtuously,  but  thou  excellest  them  all.  A  woman  that  feareth 
the  Lord,  she  shall  be  praised.  Let  her  own  works  praise  her  in  the 
gates." 


Memorandum  of  My  Brother  Charles  Hodge. 


Charles  was  the  fifth  and  last  child  of  Dr.  Hugh  Hodge  and  his 
wife  Mary.  He  was  born  in  Arch  Street,  the  tliird  door  east  of 
Christ  Church  Cemetery  on  the  28th  of  December,  1797.  His  father 
died  in  the  following  July,  before  his  last  child  was  quite  six  months 
old.  Charles's  first  school  instruction  was  under  the  direction  of 
Mr.  Taylor,  a  warm-hearted,  cultivated  and  enthusiastic  Irish  gentle- 
man, who  always  took  a  great  interest  in  his  scholars,  and  perhaps 
especially  in  my  brother. 

Charles  through  all  his  life  has  had  intimate  friends.  At  Mr.  Taylor's 
school  he  was  associated  with  Samuel  Morris,  Eobert  Griffith,  William 
Turnbull,  Montgomery  Dale,  and  others,  whose  friendship  he  retained  for 
years.  He  did  not  commence  his  classical  studies  until  we  both  went  to 
Somerville  in  May,  1810,  under  the  instruction  of  Mr.  Boyer.  Two  years 
afterwards  we  moved  to  Princeton,  and  for  six  months  attended  the 
Grammar-School  of  the  Eev.  Mr.  Fyler.  In  the  fall  of  1812,  Charles 
entered  college  in  the  Sophomore  Class  half-advanced,  and  graduated 
at  the  College  of  N"ew  Jersey  in  September,  1815.  Here  he  first 
manifested  a  quickness  in  obtaining  knowledge  without  being  much 
of  a  student.  He  was  among  the  first  in  his  class,  being  numbered 
among  those  who  obtained  the  first  honor,  and  delivered  the  valedictory 
address  at  the  commencement.  His  three  college  years  were  passed 
by  him  very  delightfully,  as  the  acquisition  of  knowledge  was  to  him 
easy,  and  consequently  he  had  much  time  for  the  indulgence  of  his 
social  propensities.  He  was  exceedingly  intimate  with  Mr.  Isaac 
Piatt,  and  with  Mr.  Thomas  Biggs,  both  much  older  than  himself; 
men  who  afterwards  occupied  important  positions  as  ministers  of  the 
Gospel.  At  this  time  also  he  formed  his  acquaintance  with  Charles 
Mcllvaine,  who  was  in  a  class  below  him,  and  also  with  John  Johns, 
who  was  his  fellow-classmate.  During  the  winter  of  1814-1815  there 
was  a  great  revival  of  religion  in  the  college,  and  these  three  young  men 
became  at  that  time  communicants  in  the  church.  The  intimacy,  thus 
cemented,  has  continued  to  the  present  day,  although  the  three  have 
been  much  separated  by  place  and  circumstances;  my  brother  remain- 
ing at  Princeton,  a  professor  in  the  Presbyterian  Church;  Johns, 
after  being  rector  in  an  Episcopal  church  in  Maryland,   becoming 

(106) 


FAMILY  HISTORY  AND  REMINISCENCES,  107 

Bishop  of  Virginia;  and  Mcllvaine  being  at  one  time  chaplain  at 
West  Point,  at  another  a  rector  in  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  and  afterwards 
Bishop  of  Ohio,  and  now  almost  senior  Bishop  in  the  Episcopal 
Church. 

The  health  of  my  brother,  after  graduation  was  not  very  good,  and 
as  my  mother  determined  that  he  should  spend  a  year  in  recuperating, 
he  travelled  in  Virginia,  and  afterv/ards  went  to  Boston  in  company 
with  his  intimate  friend,  Mr.  Biggs,  a  very  superior  man,  who  was 
for  a  number  of  years  a  member  of  the  American  Board  of  Commis- 
sioners for  Foreign  Missions.  Mr.  Biggs'  life  was  not  of  long  dura- 
tion.* In  Boston  Charles  was  quite  unwell.  He  suffered  from  bleed- 
ing of  the  lungs,  and  was  put  under  the  care  of  Dr.  Jackson,  a 
distinguished  physician  of  that  day.  In  1816  he  commenced  his 
theological  studies  at  Princeton  in  conjunction  with  his  friends,  Johns 
and  Mcllvaine,  the  latter  being  his  room-mate.*  His  course  of  study 
terminated  in  the  fall  of  1819,  when  he  was  licensed  to  preach  the 
Gospel.  During  his  residence  in  the  seminary  he  attracted  the 
special  notice  of  Dr.  Alexander,  who  formed  a  high  estimate  of  his 
■powers,  and  advised  him  not  to  take  a  position  as  pastor,  but  to 
prepare  himself  for  a  teacher.  He  spent  the  winter,  therefore,  of  1819- 
1820  in  occasional  preaching,  but  chiefly  in  theological  studies,  and 
upon  the  meeting  of  the  General  Assembly  in  May,  1820,  on  the 
recommendation  of  Dr.  Alexander  and  of  Dr.  Miller,  he  was  appointed 
tutor  of  Hebrew,  etc.,  in  the  seminary.  The  duties  of  this  position 
were  so  well  performed  that  two  years  afterwards  he  was  recom- 
mended by  the  same  gentlemen,  and  by  the  Directors  of  the  Seminary, 
for  the  position  of  a  professor.  He  was,  in  accordance  with  this 
recommendation,  duly  elected,  and  entered  upon  the  duties  of  his 
office  the  following  autumn.  He  was  now  under  the  necessity  of 
becoming  a  hard  student,  particularly  in  the  ancient  languages.  He 
also  studied  French  to  a  certain  extent,  and  afterwards  devoted  much 
attention  to  German.  In  1826  it  was  thought  best  by  his  colleagues 
that  brother  should  have  the  advantage  of  two  years'  study  in  Europe. 
Means  for  this  purpose  were  provided  chiefly  by  the  Lenox  family, 
and  Charles,  after  spending  about  three  months  in  Paris,  went  to 
Havre  and  thence  to  Berlin.  He  was  very  kindly  received  by  the 
professors  in  the  German  schools  of  theology,  and  formed  an  intimacy 
with  Tholuck,  then  a  student,  but  later  a  distinguished  theologian  and 

♦According  to  the  "Life  of  Charles  Hodge,"  by  his  son,  A.  A.  H.,  Mr.  Thomas 
J.  Biggs  was  his  room-mate  the  first  year,  Mr.  John  Johns  the  second  year,  and  Mr. 
T.  S.  Wickes  the  third  year.     Mr.  Biggs  lived  until  Feb.  9,  1864.— B.  B.  H. 


108  FAMILY  HISTORY  AND  REMINISCENCES. 

professor,  with  whom  constant  correspondence  has  been  kept  np.  After 
a  short  visit  to  Switzerland  and  England  brother  returned  home  in 
1828,  resuming  the  duties  of  his  professorship  with  renewed  earnest- 
ness. Before  he  went  to  Europe,  at  the  instigation  and  with  the 
support  of  his  colleagues,  and  with  the  patronage  of  other  professors 
and  the  clerg}^  of  Princeton,  he  undertook  the  publication  of  the 
Biblical  Eepertory.  This  was  a  quarterly  religious  periodical,  devoted 
chiefly  to  notices  and  reviews  of  books.  It  has  continued  to  the 
present  day,  remaining  until  1872  almost  entirely  under  the  sole  super- 
vision of  Professor  Hodge.  It  is  now  termed  the  Presbyterian  Quarterly 
and  Princeton  Review, and  is  conducted  by  Professor  Atwater,  of  Prince- 
ton, and  Professor  Henry  B.  Smith,  of  the  Union  Theological  Semin- 
ary, IST.  Y.  The  character  of  this  work,  as  maintained  by  Dr.  Hodge, 
was  very  high.  It  was  always  regarded  as  representing  the  peculiar 
views  of  Princeton  Seminar}''.  It  took,  of  course,  a  strong  and  decided 
part  in  the  various  theological  discussions  and  controversies  of  the 
day,  dealing  with  the  interests  of  the  Church  in  general,  and  par- 
ticularly with  those  of  our  own  denomination,  especially  such  as 
characterized  the  last  forty  or  fifty  years.  Among  these  were  some 
that  issued  in  events  of  a  very  momentous  character,  involving  a 
division  among  the  brethren  and  a  disruption  of  the  Church.  These 
controversies  have  happily  ceased.  A  union  having  been  effected 
between  the  Old  and  New  School  parties,  their  representatives  met  in 
May,  1870,  in  the  old  First  Church  on  Washington  Square,  Phila- 
delphia, constituting  once  more  the  united  General  Assembly  of  the 
Presbyterian  Church.  In  all  the  controversies  of  this  period  brother's 
paper  bore  an  influential  part,  and  much  credit  has  been  rendered 
him  for  the  spirit  of  candor  which  has  characterized  his  writings. 
After  the  death  of  Dr.  Miller  and  of  Dr.  Alexander,  brother  became 
the  senior  professor  in  the  seminary,  and  now  occupies  the  chair  of 
Systematic  Theology.  Two  of  Dr.  x\lexander's  sons,  James  and 
Addison,  became  his  colleagues,  both  of  whom  have  died.  For  a 
short  time  also  Dr.  John  Breckenridge,  a  son-in-law  of  Dr.  Miller, 
was  associated  with  him  in  the  faculty.  Dr.  Breckenridge  returned, 
however,  to  his  labors  in  the  pulpit,  and  after  some  years  died.  My 
brother's  present  colleagues  are  Prof.  W.  Henry  Green,  Prof.  A.  T. 
McGill,  Prof.  Charles  A.  Aiken,  Prof.  James  C.  Moffatt  and  Prof.  C. 
Wistar  Hodge. 

Brother  has  thus  labored  in  the  cause  of  the  Church  very  steadily, 
and,  at  the  same  time,  pleasantly;  and,  it  may  be  added,  with  great 


FAMILY  HISTORY  AND  KEMINISCENCES.  109 

success.  In  1862,  the  fiftieth  anniversary  of  the  seminary  was  cele- 
brated, and  brother  delivered  a  speech  upon  the  occasion,  as  one  of 
the  professors,  in  which  he  recalled  the  time,  vivid  in  his  recollection, 
when  he,  as  a  school  boy,  seated  in  the  gallery  of  the  church,  witnessed 
in  1812  the  inauguration  of  Dr.  Archibald  Alexander  as  the  first,  and 
at  that  time,  the  only  professor.  Ten  years  later,  in  1872,  a  remark- 
able jubilee  was  held  at  Princeton  to  commemorate  the  fiftieth  anni- 
versary of  my  brother's  professorship.  The  church,  and  indeed  the 
Avhole  town^  was  crowded  with  distinguished  men  from  various  parts 
of  the  country,  and  a  very  eloquent  address  was  delivered  by  the  Eev. 
JosejDh  T.  Duryea  on  "Theology  as  a  Science."  Congratulatory 
addresses  were  made  by  Dr.  Henry  A.  Boardman,  President  Woolsey, 
of  Yale  College,  Mr.  Prime,  of  the  New  York  Observer,  and  many 
other  distinguished  Americans,  while  Professor  Porter  brought  the 
hearty  greetings  of  the  Church  in  Ireland.  Numerous  complimentary 
documents  were  also  received  from  Great  Britain  and  other 
foreign  countries,  all  testifying  to  the  superior  character  of 
Professor  Hodge  as  a  teacher  and  a  writer  of  theology.  The  event 
was  gratifying  to  all  interested;  at  the  same  time  it  wore  an  air  of 
solemnity,  and  brother  occasionally  was  much  overwhelmned  by  these 
manifestations  of  confidence  and  affection.  If  Prof.  Hodge  has 
managed  to  secure,  not  only  the  respect,  but  the  love  of  his  pupils, 
it  has  been  on  account  of  the  amenity  of  his  manners,  his  benevolence 
and  especially  the  warmth  of  feeling  which  always  characterized  his 
instructions,  especially  when  he  was  dealing  with  subjects  of  a 
practical  character.  As  an  author  he  is  well  known  through  the 
numerous  reviews  which  have  appeared  from  his  pen  in  the  Biblical 
Repertory,  many  of  which  have  been  republished  in  separate  volumes. 
He  has  published  besides  a  history  of  the  Presbyterian  Church;  and 
also  a  very  valuable  practical  essay  for  young  persons,  issued  by  the 
American  Sunday  School  Union,  and  called  the  "Way  of  Life."  This 
work  was  written  at  the  instigation  of  Mr.  Packard,  for  many  years 
the  indefatigable  Superintendent  of  the  American  Sunday  School 
Union.  He  was  anxious  to  have  a  work  to  place  in  the  hands  of 
young  people,  who  felt  the  need  of  something  more  elaborate  than 
the  common  instruction  which  they  received.  "The  Way  of  Life"  is 
nobly  adapted  to  this  purpose.  It  became  exceedingly  popular.  It 
has  been  scattered  through  the  country  in  numerous  editions,  and 
everywhere  favorably  received,  many  young  people  dating  their  first 
serious  impressions  from  its  perusal.     The    British    Tract    Society 


110  FAMILY  HISTORY  AND  REMINISCENCES. 

republished  it  iu  full  without  alteration,  and  sent  it  to  almost  every 
part  of  the  British  Empire.  Translations  have  also  been  made  of 
the  vrork  into  the  French,  German  and  Hindustani  languages,  so  that 
its  influences  have  indeed  been  wide  and  extended. 

My  brother's  sons  have  been  long  anxious  that  their  father  should 
prepare  his  theological  lectures  for  publication.  This  work  he  finally 
undertook  to  do.  First  everything  was  to  be  carefully  rewritten,  and 
there  was  necessarily  a  re-examination  of  all  prevalent  theological 
opinions,  and  also  a  careful  study  of  the  various  phases  of  modern 
infidelity,  supported  by  the  most  learned  mental  and  physical  philoso- 
phers of  the  age.  The  work  was  indeed  arduous,  hut  providentially, 
it  has  been  brought  nearly  to  a  conclusion  with  a  success  that  could 
hardly  have  been  anticipated.  Two  volumes  have  been  published,  which 
have  attracted  the  profound  attention  of  theologians  in  America  and 
in  Europe,  by  whom  they  have  been  considered  as  presenting  a  clear 
and  decided  view  of  theology,  and  also  as  containing  a  very  candid  and 
powerful  criticism  upon  the  various  heresies  and  infidel  opinions  which 
are  promulgated  by  many  learned  men  of  the  present  day.  The 
commendations  of  the  press,  representing  different  denominations 
of  Christians,  have  been  very  general  and  very  favorable.  The  third 
and  last  volume  is  now  nearly  completed,  and,  as  brother's  health 
continues  good,  and  as  his  mind  is  still  active,  it  is  to  be  hoped  that 
he  will  be  preserved  to  perfect,  as  far  as  possible,  a  work  which  may 
prove  the  crowning  effort  of  his  life's  labor. 

In  his  domestic  life  brother  has  been  greatly  favored.  He  was  still 
a  boy  in  college  when  he  formed  an  attachment  to  Miss  Sarah  Bache, 
whom  he  afterwards  married.  On  her  paternal  side  she  was  descended 
from  Benjamin  Franklin,  whose  daughter  married  a  Mr.  Bache,  by 
whom  she  had  many  children.  One  of  these  was  Dr.  William  Bache, 
the  father  of  Sarah.  Dr.  Bache  married  Miss  Catharine  Wistar,  who 
was  a  sister  of  Dr.  Caspar  Wistar,  Professor  of  Anatomy  in  the 
University  of  Pennsylvania.  Perhaps  it  will  be  interesting  to  state 
that  Miss  Wistar  was  a  very  superior  and  high-toned  woman,  and 
lived  for  many  years  with  her  brother.  Dr.  Wistar,  and  thus  made  the 
acquaintance  of  many  distinguished  men,  both  native  and  foreign, 
whom  Dr.  Wistar  had  great  pleasure  in  entertaining.  His  house 
became  the  centre  of  the  literary  and  scientific  people  of  Philadelphia. 
Ho  was  in  the  habit  of  having  them  meet  there  on  Saturday 
evenings,  usually  twelve  or  fifteen  in  number.  The  entertainment  was 
of  the  most  frugal  character,  but  the  society  was  interesting  and 


Family  history  and  reminiscences.  Ill 

valuable.  As  Miss  Wistar,  and  her  friend  and  companion,  Miss  Eddy, 
were  present  at  these  receptions,  they  had  the  privilege  of  enjoying  com- 
pany which  they  found  both  agreeable  and  profitable.  I  have  often  heard 
her  refer  to  the  few  years  thus  spent  at  Dr.  Wistar's  as  being  the  most 
gratifying  period  in  her  life.  It  was  terminated,  however,  by  the 
second  marriage  of  Dr.  Wistar  to  Miss  Elizabeth  Mifflin.  Soon  after- 
wards Miss  Wistar  married  Dr.  Bache,  and  Miss  Eddy  married  Dr. 
Hossack,  a  pupil  of  Dr.  Wistar's,  and  afterwards  professor  of  the 
Theory  and  Practice  of  Medicine  in  the  College  of  Physicians  and 
Surgeons  in  New  York.  Mrs.  Bache  had  four  children  at  least.  The 
eldest  was  Sarah,  then  Benjamin  Franklin,  then  Emma,  who  died 
at  seven  or  eight  years  of  age,  and  Catharine,  the  youngest.  The  son, 
Benjamin  Franklin,  of  whom  additional  particulars  will  be  found 
on  page  33  of  these  memoirs,  was  educated  at  Princeton,  and  was 
afterwards  graduated  as  a  physician  at  the  University  of  Pennsylvania. 
He  was  a  man  of  much  talent  and  considerable  cultivation,  especially 
in  chemistry  and  pliarmacy.  His  conversational  powers  were  great, 
and  he  abounded  in  dry  humor  and  pleasantry.  Still  his  character  has 
been  very  eccentric,  and  he  has  laid  himself  open  to  considerable 
criticism.  This  fact,  united  with  other  circumstances,  diminished  his 
popularity  and  his  influence.  Sarah,  the  eldest  child,  came  to  Prince- 
ton in  1813  or  1814.  She  was  then  a  fine,  blooming  girl  of  fourteen 
years  of  age,  abounding  in  vivacity  and  intelligence,  giving  herself  up 
to  every  new  object  of  attention  with  apparently  a  total  abandonment 
of  self-consciousness.  Thus  free  from  affectation  she  became  a  most 
agreeable  and  interesting  companion.  An  early  attachment  occurred 
between  my  brother  and  herself,  to  which  allusion  is  made  on  page 
32  above,  but  it  was  for  years  kept  concealed  until  the  death  of  her 
mother,  which  took  place  in  Philadelphia  in  1820.  Innnediately  after 
the  appointment  of  my  brother  to  his  professorship  he  and  Sarah  were 
married  at  Cheltenham,  at  the  house  of  a  mutual  friend,  Judge 
McKean.  The  ceremony  was  performed  by  Bishop  Wliite,  of  Penn- 
sylvania. It  so  happened  that  our  cousin,  Elizabeth  Bayard,  was 
married  the  same  day  to  Mr.  John  S.  Henry,  son  of  Alexander 
Henry,  of  Philadelphia.  After  my  lirother's  marriage  he  and  his 
wife  took  lodgings  in  Princeton  at  the  house  of  Colonel  Beatty.  They 
afterwards  took  the  house  at  the  corner  of  Nassau  and  Witherspoon 
Streets,  opposite  the  college.  Here  their  first  son  was  l)orn  on  the 
18th  of  July,  1823.  He  was  named  Archibald  Alexander,  in  compli- 
ment to  liis  father's  friend  and  preceptor  of  that  name.     Archie,  as  he 


112  FAMILY  HISTORY  AND  REMINISCENCES. 

was  always  called,  was  a  large,  strong,  healthy-looking  infant,  and  early 
manifested  much  intelligence.  He  received  his  academic  and  collegiate 
education  at  Princeton,  and  then  passed  through  the  theological 
seminary.  For  a  short  time  he  served  as  tutor  in  college.  Having 
determined  to  be  a  missionary,  he  obtained  an  appointment  to  Alla- 
habad in  India.  Previous  to  his  departure  he  married  Miss  Elizabeth 
Holliday,  of  Winchester,  Va.,  niece  of  the  Eev.  Dr.  McFarland.  He 
sailed  for  India  in  1847.  The  health  of  his  wife,  which  had  never 
been  strong,  was  wretched  during  the  voyage.  After  much  suffering, 
however,  they  arrived  safely  at  Calcutta,  and  eventually  at  their 
mission  station.  Alexander's  position  was  to  him  very  satisfactory 
and  pleasant  at  Allahabad,  as  he  found  all  the  surrounding  circum- 
stances, especially  regarding  the  American  and  English  population, 
agreeable  to  his  feelings,  and  he  saw  before  him  a  great  prospect  of 
usefulness.  His  first  child  was  born  about  the  year  1848,  and  was 
named  Sarah,  after  his  mother,  but  by  the  natives  was  called  "Bibi,"' 
the  Little  Lady,  a  name  which  she  has  ever  since  borne.  A  year  after- 
wards another  daughter  was  born,  who  was  named  Elizabeth,  after 
her  mother,  but  by  the  Hindus  she  was  called  "Bini,"  or  Sister  of 
the  Lady,  and  the  name  clung  to  her  through  life.  In  consequence  of 
these  events,  and  by  reason  of  the  great  heat  of  the  climate,  Mrs. 
Hodge's  health  became  so  prostrated  that  her  physician  declared  it 
impossible  for  her  to  remain  in  India.  Alexander,  therefore,  and  his 
family  returned  to  his  father's  house  in  America,  after  an  absence 
of  three  or  four  years.  He  soon  accepted  a  call  to  a  small  congrega- 
tion in  Cecil  County,  Md.,  near  to  the  Pennsylvania  line,  where 
he  eked  out  a  scanty  support  by  teaching.  He  afterwards  received  a 
call  to  Fredericksburg,  Va.,  where  his  position  was  very  agreeable. 
He  made  friends  with  all  the  various  denominations  of  Christians,  and 
his  preaching  attracted  much  notice.  He  found  time  also  to  prepare 
a  theological  catechism,  which  is  considered  an  able  work,  and  gave 
the  author  a  reputation,  not  only  in  this  country,  but  also  in  England. 
When  the  Civil  War  broke  out  Alexander,  with  his  family,  made 
his  way  through  West  Virginia  and  Maryland  into  Pennsylvania,  and 
thence  to  his  father's  house  in  New  Jersey.  He  soon  received  an 
appointment  as  pastor  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  in  Wilkes-Barie,  Pa., 
and  afterwards,  when  a  vacancy  occurred  in  the  Western  Theological 
Seminary  at  Allegheny,  by  the  resignation  of  the  Eev.  William  S. 
Plumer,  Alexander  was  made  professor  of  theology  in  that  institution, 
with  which  he  is  still  connected,  enjoying  a  high  reputation  as   a 


FAMILY  HISTORY  AND  EEMINISCENCES.  113 

theologian  and  teacher,  as  well  as  a  pastor,  for  he  has  charge  also 
of  a  congregation.  His  reputation  was  much  enhanced  by  the  publica- 
tion of  an  elaborate  work  on  the  Atonement.  The  opportunity  for 
issuing  this  work  was  afforded  by  the  excited  state  of  the  Presbyterian 
Church,  when  a  union  was  proposed  between  the  Old  and  jSTew  School 
bodies.  It  was,  therefore,  extensive^  read.  Alexander  has  since 
published  a  smaller  Ijook  with  the  title,  "Presbyterian  Doctrine  Briefly 
Stated."  His  wife,  Elizabeth,  died  in  1867,  and  he  was  subsequently 
married  (Dec.  20,  1869,)  to  a  Mrs.  Wood,  a  widow-lady  [whose  maiden 
name  was  Margaret  McLaren] .  She  is  a  woman  of  much  intelligence 
and  of  excellent  character.     She  had  no  children. 

The  second  child  of  my  brother  Charles  was  Mary,  who  was  named 
for  our  mother,  who  made  the  request  that,  Elizabeth  should  be  added 
to  the  name  in  commemoration  of  my  mother's  two  daughters,  both 
of  whom  died  in  early  life.  Mary  was  born  on  the  31st  of  August, 
1825,  an  intelligent,  interesting  girl,  and,  as  the  first  daughter  in 
the  family,  peculiarly  acceptable.  In  1848,  when  she  was  twenty- 
three  years  of  age,  she  was  married  to  William  ]\I.  Scott,  of  Ohio. 
Mr.  Scott  had  lately  been  graduated  at  Princeton  Theological  Semin- 
ary, and  had  been  called  to  a  professorship  in  Centre  College  at 
Danville,  Ky.  In  this  place  he  resided  for  a  number  of  years,  finding 
the  society  very  agreeable,  and  enjoying  a  position  which  was  one  of 
influence.  He  afterwards  accepted  a  call  to  the  Seventh  Presbyterian 
Church  in  Cincinnati,  and  subsequentlj'  was  made  one  of  the 
original  professors  of  the  ISTorthwest  Theological  Seminary  just  then 
established  in  Chicago,  111.  His  increased  labors  and  the  severity  of 
the  climate  in  that  locality  ruined  his  health.  He  felt  compelled, 
therefore,  to  resign  his  professorship,  and  came  to  Princeton  with 
his  family  in  December,  1861,  and  there  soon  died  of  consumption. 

Mary  Scott's  first  child  was  born  in  Danville,  Ky.,  in  July,  1849. 
He  was  named  Charles  Hodge,  after  his  grandfather.  He  was,  there- 
fore, about  twelve  years  old  at  the  death  of  his  father.  He  was 
of  course,  educated  at  Princeton,  and,  having  graduated  at  college, 
made  up  his  mind  to  be  a  business  man.  He  went  accordingly  to  his 
uncle  Alexander  at  Allegheny,  and  soon  obtained  an  important  posi- 
tion in  a  Avealthy  iron  commission  house  with  good  jjrospects  before 
him. 

Mary's  second  child  was  John,  who  Avas  a  great  sufferer  from  dis- 
turi^ance  of  his  digestive  organs,  and  he  died  when  he  was  very 
voung.  A  third  son  was  Hugh  Lenox,  who  received  that  name  iu 
8 


114  FAMILY  HISTORY  AND  REMINISCENCES. 

compliment  to  m^'self.  He  obtained  his  academic  education  at  Prince- 
ton ;  but,  being  enamored  with  the  idea  of  a  roving  life,  he  determined 
not  to  enter  college,  but,  if  possible,  to  be  educated  as  a  military 
man  at  West  Point;  and  at  this  institution  he  was  entered  in  June, 
1870,  and  still  anticipates  the  pleasure  of  a  military  life  on  the 
prairies  and  the  mountains  of  the  West.  Mary's  fourth  son  was 
William,  so  named  after  his  father.  He  is  now  fourteen  years  of 
age,  a  boy  of  remarkable  intelligence  and  piety,  who,  even  at  the  age 
of  ten,  was  number  one  in  a  class  of  twenty-five  at  Mr.  Faires's 
excellent  school  in  Philadelphia.  He  is  now  pursuing  the  study  of 
the  languages,  mathematics,  etc.,  at  Princeton;  and,  although  he  is 
already  fully  prepared  for  college,  his  entrance  has  wisely  been  post- 
poned for  another  year. 

Mary  Scott  was  greatly  favored,  on  the  death  of  her  husband,  and 
in  the  distress  attendant  upon  the  restricted  circumstances  in  which 
she  was  left,  b}^  finding  a  home  once  more  in  her  father's  house.  Her 
health,  providentiall}^,  has  been  good,  and  she  has  constantly  laljored 
industriously  and  anxiously  for  the  maintenance  and  the  education  of 
her  children.  Her  labors  have  been  greatly  blessed.  She  is  still  well 
and  strong,  looks  better  and  younger  than  she  did  many  years  ago, 
and  has  the  great  satisfaction  of  seeing  her  children  grow  up 
intelligent  and  well-educated,  and,  therefore,  greatly  respected. 

My  brother's  third  child  was  Caspar  Wistar.  He  was  born  on  the 
21st  of  Feburary,  1830.  He  was  named  after  his  granduncle. 
Professor  Caspar  Wistar.  He,  like  the  other  children,  distinguished 
himself  by  his  talent,  taking  high  places  in  school  and  college,  and 
delivering  the  Latin  Salutatory  as  the  first  honor  man  at  gradua- 
tion. He  had  the  special  privilege  of  enjoying  the  personal  instruc- 
tion and  companionship  of  Professor  Addison  Alexander,  so  well- 
known  for  his  genius  and  his  writings,  as  well  as  fo'r  many  peculiari- 
ties of  character,  some  of  which  his  pupil  may  have  imbibed.  Wistar 
studied  theolog}^,  and,  having  been  licensed  to  preach  by  the  Presbytery, 
was  a  short  time  tutor  in  the  college.  He  married  Miss  Mary 
Stockton,  daughter  of  the  late  Lieutenant  Stockton,  and  grand- 
daughter of  the  Hon.  Richard  Stockton,  of  Princeton.  He  accepted 
a  call  to  Williamsburg,  L.  I.,  and  about  a  year  later  was  settled 
as  pastor  at  Oxford,  Pa.,  where  he  had  the  misfortune  of  losing  his 
wife,  who  died  of  consumption.  On  the  death  of  his  former  teacher, 
Addison  Alexander,  he  was  appointed  by  the  General  Assembly  pro- 
fessor in  the  tlieological  seminary,  at  Princeton,  as  a  colleague  to  his 


FAMILY  HISTORY  AND  REMINISCENCES.  115 

father,  and  filling  the  chair  of  Xew  Testament  Literature  and  Biblical 
Greek.  This  position  he  was  very  unwilling  to  accept;  but  it  was  so 
strongly  urged  upon  him  that  he  could  not  refuse.  He  still  acts  as  pro- 
fessor, with  reputation  acquired  for  himself,  and  to  the  evident  advan- 
tage of  the  students.  He  has  not  made  use  of  the  press,  and  main- 
tains a  reserve  in  general  as  to  appearing  before  the  public  which  has 
always  characterized  him.  After  being  a  widower  for  five  years  he 
married  Miss  Harriet  Terry  Post,  of  Huntington,  L.  I.,  granddaugh- 
ter of  Professor  Post,  the  surgeon,  of  JSTew  York.  Unfortunately  her 
health  proved  to  be  bad,  and  in  nine  months  after  her  marriage  she 
died  of  consumption. 

In  October,  1869,  Wistar  married  Miss  Angle  Pout,  a  fine,  healthy, 
intelligent  woman,  who  has  made  herself  very  acceptable  to  all  the 
family  by  the  excellency  of  her  character,  and  by  her  pleasing  manners. 
By  this  marriage  Wistar  has  two  children,  the  eldest  being  a  boy, 
named  after  himself,  and  the  second,  a  girl,  named  after  her  mother. 

Brother's  fourth  child  was  Charles,  who  was  l)orn  on  the  22d 
of  March,  1832.  He  grew  up  to  be  very  intelligent,  Ijut,  at  the  same 
time,  somewhat  peculiar  in  his  thoughts  and  character,  having  much 
dry  humor,  and  with  a  sociable  disposition,  which  led  him  to  make 
acquaintance  with  everyljody,  and  somehow  always  to  be  more  or 
less  useful  to  his  many  friends.  He  was  more  fond,  therefore,  of 
companionship,  of  social  pleasures  and  of  out-of-door  exercise,  than 
of  study.  He  did  well,  however,  both  in  school  and  at  college  at 
Princeton,  and  afterwards  as  a  medical  student  in  Pbiladelphia.* 

After  graduating  in  medicine  he  was  favored  by  ol^taining  a  posi- 
tion as  Eesident  Physician  in  Blockley  Hosintal,  Philadelphia,  and 
at  the  conclusion  of  his  term  of  service  determined  to  settle  in  Trenton, 
N".  J.  He  there  obtained  an  appointment  as  physician  at  the  Kew 
Jersey  Asylum  for  the  Insane,  which  was  under  the  care  of  Dr. 
Buttolph,  who  married  a  daughter  of  Dr.  Dorsey,  of  Philadelphia, 
and  granddaughter  of  J^obert  Ralston.  Charles  was  treated  with 
great  attention  both  by  Dr.  Buttolph  and  his  wife.  About  this  time 
he  was  married  and  entered  upon  the  practice  of  medicine  in  the  city 
of  Trenton,  where  he  still  resides,  enjoying  the  patronage  of  many 
influential  families.  He  married,  in  1S58,  Martha  Janeway,  daughter 
of  the  Rev.  Thomas  L.  Janeway,  and  granddaughter  of  the  Rev. 
Jacob  J.  Janeway,  who  was  for  many  years  co-pastor  mth  Dr.  Ashbel 

^■Charles  made  his  home  at  father's  house  in  Philadelphia  'luring  the  progress  of 
his  medical  studies. — E.   B.  H. 


116  FAMILY  HISTORY  AND  REMINISCENCES. 

Green  in  the  Second  Presbyterian  Church,  Philadelphia.  By  this 
marriage  there  are  now  six  children;  two  daughters,  Alice  and  Sarah, 
and  four  sons,  Charles,  Thomas  Janeway,  Hugh  Bayard  and  Archibald 
Alexander. 

The  fifth  child  of  my  brother  was  born  in  1834.  Brother  named 
him  after  my  cousin,  Mr.  John  Bayard,  who  was  settled  at  Mill- 
stone, four  miles  from  Somerville,  N.  J.,  and  to  whom  my  brother 
and  myself  were  indebted  for  innumerable  attentions,  even  of  a 
paternal  character,  and  at  whose  house  we  passed  some  of  our 
happiest  days.  John  grew  up  and  was  a  stout,  healthy  boy,  but  did 
not  display  that  devotion  to  study  which  characterized  his  brothers. 
As  he- manifested,  on  the  other  hand,  a  desire  to  become  a  farmer,  he 
was  sent  to  spend  some  time  near  Salem,  IST.  J.,  in  company  with, 
and  under  the  direction  of  some  cousins  of  his  mother.  Afterwards  his 
father  purchased  a  farm  four  miles  from  Princeton,  on  the  Millstone, 
where  he  placed  John  in  charge.  This  experiment  was  continued  for 
some  two  or  three  years,  but  was  not  successful.  John  accordingly 
accepted  an  appointment  in  a  railroad  office  at  South  Amboy.  John 
is  an  excellent,  conscientious  young  man,  and  is  making  himself 
useful  in  the  church.     Up  to  the  present  time  he  has  not  married. 

Brother's  sixth  child  was  Catharine  Bache,  named  for  her  grand- 
mother, Mrs.  Bache.  Catharine  was  educated  almost  exclusively  at 
Princeton,  to  which  place  and  its  inhabitants  she  is  most  devotedly 
attached.  She  is  of  a  very  active,  intelligent  mind,  with  much  humor 
and  pleasantry,  so  that  she  is  a  very  agreeable  companion.  She  is  a 
communicant  in  the  Church,  and  devotes  a  large  part  of  her  time 
to  labors  in  the  Sunday-school,  and  in  furtherance  of  the  various 
benevolent  operations  of  the  First  Presbyterian  Church.  Up  to  the 
present  time  she  has  remained  single.  She  was  born  on  the  31st  of 
August,  1836. 

Brother's  seventh  child  was  Francis,  named  for  Francis  Blanchard, 
son  of  Samuel  Blanchard,  of  Wenham,  Mass.,  and  the  favorite  nephew 
of  our  mother.  Francis  was  born  on  October  24,  1838.  Of  course, 
he  also  was  educated  at  Princeton,  graduating  at  the  college,  and 
eventually  at  the  theological  seminary.  He  had  considerable  difficulty 
in  pursuing  his  studies,  as  one  of  his  eyes  suffered  much  from 
inflammation,  the  result  of  an  accident.  FIcnce,  knowledge  was 
acquired  in  his  case  very  largely  from  oral  instruction.  Nevertheless 
he  made  rapid  acquisitions,  and,  as  he  had  a  fine  voice  and  manner, 
he  had  the  honor  of  being  Junior  Orator,  and  of  delivering  the  Whig 


FAMILY  HISTORY  AND  REMINISCENCES.  117 

Hall  Anniversary  Oration.  After  being  educated  for  the  min- 
istry he  was  settled  at  Oxford,  Pa.,  in  the  position  previously  occu- 
pied by  his  brother  Wistar.  Here  his  intelligence,  great  amiability 
and  devotion  to  his  parishioners,  united  with  considerable  eloquence 
of  voice  and  manner,  obtained  for  him  much  popularity  and  influence. 
His  congregation  was  augmented  in  size,  and,  although  chiefly  com- 
posed of  farmers,  they  were  induced  to  pull  down  their  old  building, 
and  to  erect  a  handsome  brick  structure  as  a  substitute.  AVlien 
Frank's  brother,  Archibald  Alexander,  vacated  the  church  at  Wilkes- 
Barre,  Pa.,  (and  after  Samuel  Dod's  four  years'  ministry),  a  call  so 
urgent,  and  pressed  with  so  much  importunity,  was  presented  to  Frank 
from  this  church  that,  after  much  hesitation,  and  with  many  regrets,  he 
left  his  friends  at  Oxford,  and  is  now  settled  at  Wilkes-Barrc^.  Here 
he  has  new  and  admiring  friends  who  are  devoted  to  the  comfort  of 
himself  and  famil}^,  while  he  maintains  a  great  popularity  as  a 
pastor  and  preacher.  He  was  married  in  Princeton  to  Mary,  daughter 
of  Professor  Stephen  Alexander,  of  Nassau  Hall.  She  is  the  mother 
of  three  children.  They  are  Louisa  Alexander,  named  after  her  ma- 
ternal grandmother ;  Charles,  named  for  his  grandfather,  and  Stephen 
Alexander,  named  for  his  maternal  grandfather.* 

The  eighth  and  last  child  of  my  brother  was  Sarah,  named  for 
her  mother,  who  unfortunately  died  when  this,  her  youngest  child 
was  but  nine  years  of  age.  Sarah's  primary  education  was  at  Prince- 
ton, but  she  had  the  advantage  afterwards  of  going  to  Miss  Haines's 
school  in  New  York  City,  which  was  in  high  repute.  She  resembles 
her  mother  perhaps  more  than  any  of  the  other  children,  both  in 
person  and  in  manners,  being  remarkably  cheerful  and  pleasant  as  well 
as  affectionate.  In  August,  1866,  she  was  married  to  Colonel  Samuel 
Stockton,  grandson  of  the  Hon.  Eichard  Stockton.  About  this  time  he 
retired  from  the  Army  and  devoted  himself  to  agriculture,  having  pur- 
chased an  excellent  farm  ("Hay  Eidge")  about  a  mile  from  Princeton, 
being  part  of  the  property  which  had  belonged  to  his  ancestors.  Soon 
afterwards,  owing  to  the  death  of  Mrs.  Ehinelander  and  Mrs.  Harri- 
son, his  father's  sisters,  he  became  interested  in  the  estate  of  Com- 
modore Stockton,  as  he  was  next  heir  after  these  ladies.  The  affairs 
of  this  estate  were  very  complicated;  and,  as  a  compromise,  after 
many  judicial  decisions,  Sainuel  agreed  to  receive  as  his  portion  the 
family  mansion  and  farm  known  as  Morven,  on  Stockton  Street.   This 

*Three  children  were  born  after  3872:    Sarah  Blanchard;   Joseph  Henry   (Ob.  1884); 
and  Helen  Henry.— E.   B.  H. 


118  FAMILY  HISTORY  AND  KEMINISCENCES. 

property,  however,  was  subject  to  very  heavy  mortgages,  and  these 
became  naturally  a  subject  of  much  anxiety  and  labor.  Samuel  has, 
nevertheless,  the  satisfaction  of  reserving  the  house  which  has  been 
occupied  by  several  generations  of  those  whose  name  he  bears.  He 
has  been  enthusiastically  devoted  to  his  agricultural  pursuits,  and 
has  already  obtained  much  influence  by  his  talents,  his  amiability,  and 
his  kindness,  both  in  Princeton  and  elsewhere. 

Samuel  and  Sarah  have  three  children.  The  eldest,  Mary  Hunter, 
Ijears  the  maiden  name  of  her  grandmother,  now  Mrs.  Charles  Hodge, 
and  formerly  Mrs.  Stockton.  The  second  is  Sarah,  named  for  her 
mother.    The  third  is  Charles  Hodge,  named  for  his  grandfather. 

My  brother's  wife,  Sarah,  the  mother  of  the  eight  children  above 
enumerated,  enjoyed  from  early  years  really  excellent  health.  Never- 
theless, she  was  greatly  disturbed  l^y  nervous  feelings  and 
apprehensions,  and  was  often  tormented  with  nervous  and  sick 
headache.  About  the  year  1848  her  health  was  evidently  de- 
clining. In  the  summer  of  1849  she  went  to  Kentucky  to 
be  with  her  daughter  Mary  during  her  first  confinement. 
She  returned  home,  with  Mary  and  the  infant,  in  a  state  of 
much  exhaustion.  Unhappily  she  did  not  recover  her  strength,  and 
on  the  25th  of  December,  1849,  she  died.  Her  bright  mind  and 
imagination,  her  lively  and  pleasant  conversational  powers,  and  her 
great  amiability  and  warm-heartedness,  united  with  agreeable  manners, 
won  the  minds  and  hearts  of  all  her  relatives  and  friends.  The  loss 
of  his  wife  was  a  sore  trial  to  my  brother.  His  sister-in-law.  Miss 
Bache,  took  charge  of  his  household  for  some  years.  Eventually  my 
brother  paid  attention  to  Mrs.  Samuel  Stockton,  the  widow  of 
Lieutenant  Stockton  of  the  United  States  N"avy.  Mrs.  Stockton  was 
a  daughter  of  Dr.  Hunter,  who  was  for  years  professor  of  mathematics 
in  the  College  of  'New  Jersey,  and  afterwards  Chaplain  in  Washington, 
D.  C.  She  Avas  also  a  niece  on  her  mother's  !?ide  of  the  Hon.  Kichard 
Stockton.  She  was  the  mother  of  two  children.  Mary,  the  elder,  was 
afterwards  married  to  my  brother's  son,  Caspar  Wistar  Hodge;  wliile 
Samuel,  the  younger,  was  married  to  Sarah,  my  1)rother's  youngest 
daughter. 

Mrs.  Stockton's  health,  prior  to  her  second  marriage,  had  been  very 
delicate.  She  suffered  from  cough  and  from  pulmonary  hemorrhage, 
and  at  one  time  these  disorders  assumed  a  serious  character.  A 
journey  to  Chicago,  Detroit  and  other  places,  and  a  visit  to  her 
brother.  General  Hunter,  during  the  summer  season,  greatly  renovated 


FAMILY  HISTORY  AND  REMINISCENCES.  119 

her ;  and,  since  her  marriage  to  my  brother,  she  has  gained  much  flesh 
and  strength;  and  now  for  many  years  she  has  had  no  return  of 
cough  or  hemorrhage.  Her  health  and  spirits  are  good,  excepting  that 
her  nervous  system  is  always  easily  depressed,  and  sometimes  it  is 
greatly  prostrated.  She  has  proved  an  invaluable  blessing  to  my 
brother  and  his  children.  My  brother's  own  health  has  been  also 
generally  good,  notwithstanding  his  leading  a  rather  sedentary  life. 
Pulmonic  symptoms  which  he  had  whe^n  in  college  are  gone.  When 
about  thirty-six  years  of  age  he  became  quite  fleshy.  He  had  a 
severe  trial,  however,  in  an  obscure  disease  located  in  his  left  lower 
extremity.  In  March,  1820,  after  much  exercise  he  would  complain 
of  aching  sensations  in  his  limb,  which,  on  examination,  was  found 
to  be  smaller  than  its  fellow.  Although  the  uneasy  sensations  were  in 
■some  measure  done  away  with,  yet  they  occasionally  returned,  pro- 
ducing a  feeling  of  weakness,  and  strong  suspicions  were  entertained 
that  the  hip-joint  was  the  source  of  the  mischief.  After  he  had  been 
examined  by  different  surgeons,  counter-irritants  were  ordered,  includ- 
ing cups,  blisters  and  even  moxa,  while  rest  from  the  use  of  the  limb 
was  enjoined.  Some  benefit  appeared  to  result;  and  on  his  visit 
to  Europe  in  182G  he  experienced  great  improvement,  which  he 
attributed  in  some  measure  to  the  climate,  but  chiefly  to  the  rest  he 
enjoyed  from  bodily  exercise  while  laboriously  pursuing  his  studies. 
His  ability  to  walk  increased  so  that,  prior  to  his  return  home  in 
1828,  he  endured  with  impunity  much  pedestrian  travel  in  Switzer- 
land. 

In  1832,  after  walking  a  great  deal  in  New  York  City,  much 
pain  in  the  hip  returned,  and  his  friend  and  relative.  Dr.  Alexander 
H.  Stevens,  professor  of  surgery  in  New  York,  said  that  he  must 
immediately  go  to  bed,  as  he  regarded  the  symptoms  as  indicating 
the  commencement  of  serious  disease  in  the  Joint.  This  diagnosis 
was  confirmed  by  surgeons  from  New  York  and  Philadelphia.  Perfect 
rest  in  bed  was  enforced,  and  all  motion  of  the  joint  was  prevented  by 
splints,  which  extended  from  the  axilla  to  the  foot.  This  treatment' 
was  supplemented  hy  mild  counter-irritants.  Under  this  practice  the 
symptoms  were  ameliorated.  The  rest  enjoined  was  continued  without 
remission  for  several  years.  Indeed,  after  he  was  permitted  to  go 
about  upon  crutches,  he  did  not  adopt  a  sitting  posture,  and  eleven 
years  elapsed  1)efore  he  was  permitted  once  more  to  enter  the  j^ulpit. 
Although  thus  confined  without  motion,  so  that  he  could  not  even 
turn  in  bed,  liis  general  health  rather  improved,  and  he  gained  in 


120  FAMILY  HISTOKT  AND  KEMINISCENCES. 

flesh.  At  the  same  time  his  mind  and  heart  were  in  good  condition, 
and  he  attended  to  all  his  professorial  duties;  the  classes  from  the 
seminary  coming  over  to  his  rooms  to  receive  instruction.  At  this 
time  also  he  prepared  his  commentary  on  the  Epistle  to  the  Eomans, 
which  gave  him  much  theological  reputation.  ISTo  bad  consequences, 
therefore,  resulted  from  his  long  confinement,  and  there  never  has  l^een 
any  jDOsitive  development  of  local  disease.  His  power  of  locomotion 
seems  to  he  very  good;  but  the  limb  has  remained  smaller  than  the 
other,  and  is  more  sensitive,  especially  to  cold,  so  that  extra  covering 
is  required.  Apart  from  this  complaint  there  has  been  little  to  affect 
unfavorably  my  brother's  health.  The  irregular  pains  which  he 
occasional^  feels  about  his  chest  are  not  of  a  character  to  give  rise 
to  any  anxiety. 

At  the  beginning  of  Feln'uar}',  1871,  after  some  exposure  to  very 
severe  weather  toward  the  last  of  January,  he  became  seriously  ill, 
with  typhoid  symptoms.  The  attack,  however,  was  of  a  mild  character, 
although  his  brain  was  somewhat  excited  and  his  dreams  were  dis- 
turbed by  the  metaphysical  questions  which  he  had  been  lately  agitat- 
ing. After  a  week  or  ten  days  of  anxiety  to  his  friends  he  became 
convalescent;  but  two  or  three  months  elapsed  before  he  could  meet 
all  the  demands  which  his  position  as  professor  made  upon  him. 

He  is  now  in  the  seventy-fifth  year  of  his  age,  in  the  enjoyment  of 
excellent  health,  looking  well  for  his  years,  and  showing  himself 
fully  capable  of  exercising  his  mental  powers  in  the  completion  of  his 
great  work  on  Theolog}'.  He  is  now  numbered  among  the  oldest 
inhabitants  of  Princeton,  most  of  his  companions  and  predecessors 
having  died,  and  an  entire  new  generation  of  professors  and  teachers 
having  appeared  in  the  college  and  seminary.  He  enjoys  life,  sur- 
rounded, as  he  is,  by  devoted  families,  and  receiving  attention  and 
respect  from  numerous  friends  at  home  and  abroad.  His  domestic 
and  professional  happiness  seems  to  be  complete.  May  it  yet  long  con- 
tinue ! 


Andrew  Hodge,  the  First— (continued), 
Hugh  Hodge. 


Note. — On  page  sixteen  father  begins  the  story  of  the  sixth  child  of  Andrew  Hodge, 
the  first,  and  Jane  McCuIlough,  i.  e.,  of  Hugh  Hodge,  and  his  descendants.  The  nar- 
rative now  returns  to  the  seventh  child  of  the  same  Andrew  Hodge. 


The  seventh  child  of  Andretv  Hodge,  the  first,  and  Jane  McCuI- 
lough, tvas  Jane.  She  was  born  in  1757,  and  was  married  to  B. 
Phillips,  of  England.  She  and  her  husband  passed  most  of  their 
married  life  in  the  West  Indies.  At  her  death  she  left  one  child, 
who  was  adopted  and  brought. uj)  1)y  her  aunt,  Mary  Hodgdon.  This 
child,  whose  name  was  Jane,  grew  up  to  be  exceedingly  tall  and  very 
delicate.  She  was,  however,  a  most  devoted  Christian,  an  untiring- 
friend  and  relation.  She  made  herself  very  useful  in  the  Church, 
and  also  during  the  epidemic  of  malignant  cholera  in  1832,  being 
one  of  the  ladies  who  took  charge  of  the  asylum  for  poor  and  neglected 
children,  left  helpless  by  this  epidemic.  She  died  a  few  years  after- 
wards of  disease  of  the  heart.  Her  avint,  Miss  Phillips,  an  English- 
woman, whom  we  all  designated  as  Aunt  Phillips,  also  lived  with 
Aunt  Hodgdon,  and  was  a  most  congenial  and  excellent  character. 
She  died  suddenly  of  apoplexy  many  years  before  Jane. 

The  eighth  child  of  Andrew  Hodge,  the  first,  and  Jane  McCuIlough, 
was  Mary.  She  was  born  in  1761,  and  married  Major  Hodgdon,  v/ho 
had  served  in  the  Eevolutionary  War,  chiefly  as  Quarter-Master- 
General.  Pie  was  originally  from  Boston,  where  he  was  ver}^  intimate 
with  Colonel  Sargent,  with  whom  he  was  associated  in  business.  He 
afterwards  settled  as  a  merchant  in  Philadelphia,  and  for  a  time  was 
prosperous.  He  built  for  himself  a  large  house  in  Arch  Street,  above 
Sixth,  now  604,  having  Mr.  William  Montgomery  to  the  west,  and  Mr. 
Maybin  to  the  east,  both  of  whom  built  houses  similar  to  his,  and 
their  families  became  intimately  associated.  Major  Hodgdon  died 
when  about  seventy-five  years  of  age.  Mary,  his  wife,  had  remained 
unmarried  until  after  the  death  of  her  parents  (Andrew  Hodge  and 
Jane  McCuIlough),  but  devoted  herself  to  taking  charge  of  her 
father's  family,  her  sisters  having  married.  Her  father  died  in  1789, 
when  about  seventy-eight  years  of  age.  Soon  after  his  death  her 
marriage  with  Colonel  Hodgdon  took  place,  and  she  became  the  mother 

(121) 


122  FAMILY  HISTORY  AND  REMINISCENCES. 

of  several  children.  Her  oldest  child  was  Mar}^  Ann,  who  early 
became  a  comminiicant  in  the  Chnrch.  She  remained  single,  and 
lived  nntil  about  seventy-two  years  of  age.  She  took  care  of  her 
mother  while  she  lived,  and  afterwards  kept  house  for  her  brother 
Alexander.    She  died  of  cancer. 

Mrs.  Hodgdon's  second  child  was  Samnel.  He  was  of  a  ]5eculiar 
temperament.  He  entered  into  mercantile  business,  was  married 
early,  and  retired  to  ]\Iontrose,  in  Susquehanna  County,  Pa.  He  had 
several  children,  became  a  communicant  in  the  Church,  and  made 
himself  very  useful.  After  the  death  of  his  first  wife  he  married 
a  sister  of  Judge  Jessup,  of  Montrose,  by  whom  also  he  had  children. 
Upon  her  death  he  married  as  his  third  wife  a  lady  from  New  Jersey, 
who  survived  him.  After  this  third  marriage  he  transferred  his  resi- 
dence to  Newark,  N.  J.,  and  afterwards  to  Germantown,  Pa.  He 
there  died  of  disease  of  the  heart  when  about  seventy  years  of  age. 
One  of  his  sons,  named  Henry,  lived  and  died  in  Kentucky.  Another, 
Captain  James  Hodgdon,  was  in  the  mercantile  service.  He  eventually 
commanded  steamers  running  between  Philadelphia,  Mobile  and 
Savannah.  Upon  the  breaking  out  of  the  Civil  War  he  was  employed 
in  the  transport  service,  chiefly  in  the  Gulf  of  Mexico.  He  there 
contracted  disease  of  the  liver  and  stomach,  of  which  he  died  in 
Philadelphia.  He  married  a  iJiiss  Dana,  of  Wilkes-Barre,  Pa.,  and 
left  but  one  son,  who  still  lives  (1873).  His  widow  afterwards 
married  Samuel  Belton  Henry,  youngest  son  of  John  S.  Henry,  and 
she  now  resides  with  him  in  "Virginia.  A  daughter  of  Samuel  Hodgdon 
married  a  Mr.  Urquhart,  who  lives  in  Wilkes-Barre,  Pa.  Another 
daughter  married  Dr.  Messier,  of  Kentucky,  who  had  a  lucrative 
practice  there,  and  during  the  war  occupied  an  important  position. 
Being  much  interested  in  chemistry  he  has  since  that  time  estal^lished 
a  large  chemical  manufactory  in  Connecticut,  some  ten  miles  from 
Hartford,  where  he  and  his  wife  are  exerting  a  great  influence  for 
good. 

Another  daughter  born  to  Mary  Hodgdon  was  Elizal^eth,  who  died 
early  in  life.  Jane  was  the  next  daughter.  She  was  born  about  the 
year  1797,  and  was  a  girl  of  much  talent,  and  great  vivacity,  making 
herself  very  agreeable  to  her  associates.  Of  course,  under  these  cir- 
cumstances, she  had  intimate  friends.  Among  these  may  be  men- 
tioned Matilda  Maybin,  iVugusta  S})erry  and  a  Miss  Smith,  a  very 
handsome  young  woman  who  married  and  died;  also,  Matilda  Henry, 
daughter  of  Alexander  Henry,  and  afterwards  wife  of  Dr.  John  K. 


FAMILY  HISTORY  AND  REMINISCENCES.  123 

Mitchell.  Mrs.  Mitchell  died  only  a  few  days  ago.  \Y\wn  Jane 
Hodgdon  was  about  twenty  years  of  age  she  married  Dr.  Thomas 
Harris,  of  the  United  States  Navy.  Dr.  Harris  was  twenty  years 
older  than  herself,  a  very  intellectual  man,  of  a  quiet  and  sedate 
demeanor,  but  one  who  exerted  much  influence,  even  putside  of  his 
profession.  At  one  time  he  had  a  very  large  and  fashionable  practice 
in  Philadelphia.  This  was  broken  up  by  chronic  disease  of  the  spine, 
so  that  he  became  almost  incapable  of  going  about.  He  was  largely 
instrumental  in  establishing  the  N"aval  Asylum  on  the  Schuylkill  River 
for  sailors;  the  father  of  the  institution  being  Judge  Southard,  of 
Trenton.  Dr.  Harris  was  afterwards  transferred  to  Washington, 
where  he  received  an  appointment  as  chief  of  the  ISTaval  Bureau,  soon 
after  its  establishment.  Some  years  later,  his  health  being  very  feeble, 
he  was  put  upon  the  retired  list,  and  came  to  Philadelphia,  where 
he  died  of  cardioplegia.  Jane  Hodgdon  and  Thomas  Harris  had  several 
children.  The  oldest  was  William,  who  studied  medicine,  and  entered 
the  United  States  N'avy,  but  did  not  attain  much  influence.  He 
married  a  lady  in  ISTorfolk,  who  afterwards  died,  leaving  him  with 
several  children.  William  is  still  living  in  Norfolk.  His  second  child 
was  Mary,  a  very  fine,  intelligent'  girl.  She  married  a  Mr.  Dorsey, 
of  Maryland,  where  she  afterwards  lived.  She  had  three  or  four 
cliildren,  one  of  whom  only  survives.  He  was  taken  by  his  father  to 
Virginia,  where  he  entered  the  Rebel  Army,  and  is  still  living.  Mary 
Dorsey  herself  died  while  still  young,  soon  after  giving  birth  to  twins. 
Her  husljand,  Mr.  Dorsey,  subsequently  married  into  the  Mason  family 
in  Virginia,  and  went  to  that  State  to  live. 

The  next  child  of  Tliomas  and  Jane  Harris  was  Elizabeth.  She 
married  Judge  Daniels,  of  Richmond,  Va.  He  was  Judge  of  the 
Supreme  Court  of  the  United  States,  and  was  then  an  old  man  with  a 
familv  of  children.  He  was,  of  course,  a  gentleman  of  great  influence, 
but  the  difference  of  age  between  himself  and  his  wife  was  very 
marked.  Elizabeth  had  at  least  tv/o  children,  who  were  brought  up 
by  his  family ;  their  mother  perishing  when  quite  young  in  consequence 
of  her  clothes  taking  fire  while  she  was  dressing  for  a  party. 

Thomas  Harris,  Jr.,  was  another  child.  He  early  entered  the  Navy, 
and  was  actively  engaged  in  the  public  service  during  the  Civil  War. 
Wlien  the  war  was  over  he  spent  most  of  his  time  upon  the  ocean,  and 
is  now  captain  of  a  United  States  vessel  in  the  South  Pacific.  He 
married  Lucy  Jaudon,  daughter  of  Ashbel  Green  Jaudon,  and  grand- 
daughter   of    Daniel    Jaudon,    well-known    as    a    most    successful 


124  FAMILY  HISTORY  AND  REMINISCENCES. 

teacher  of  5'oimg  ladies  in  this  city,  and  as  an  elder  in  the  Second 
Presb}'terian  Church.  Lncy  Jaudon  had  throe  or  fonr  children,  and 
lives  in  Pino  Street,  above  Twenty-first. 

The  last  child  of  Thomas  and  Jane  Harris  was  Charles,  who  was, 
I  believe,  a  short  time  in  the  Navy,  and  afterwards  a  clerk  in  one  of 
the  Washingion  offices.     He  is  now  residing  in  Baltimore. 

The  next  child  of  Colonel  and  Mary  Plodgdon  was  Alexander,  who 
is  about  seventy-four  years  of  age  at  the  present  time.  He  never 
married.  He  was  educated  as  a  merchant,  took  Tip  business  in  Phila- 
delphia, and  for  several  years  was  engaged  in  the  same  in  New 
Orleans.  He  then  returned  to  PhiladeljDhia,  and  took  up  his  resi- 
dence with  his  aged  mother  and  his  sister.  Since  their  death,  which 
occurred  some  years  ago,  he  has  lived  by  himself  in  a  house  in  Spruce 
Street,  above  Tenth.  He  was  a  young  man  of  talents,  with  an  excellent 
memory,  having  great  mental  and  physical  activity.  He  now  owns  a 
valuable  property  in  land  on  the  Delaware  Eiver,  north  of  Eichmond. 
He  has  also  considerable  personal  investments.  He  has  taken  great 
interest  in  useful  and  public  affairs.  He  was  President  of  the 
Columbia  and  Harrisburg  Railroad,  retrieving  it  from  many  of  its 
difficulties  until  it  was  eventually  absorbed  in  the  great  Pennsylvania 
Railroad.  He  afterwards  devoted  much  time  and  energy  to  the 
advantage  of  the  Girard  Bank,  of  which  he  was  a  director.  He 
was  elected  a  member  of  our  Common  Council,  and  afterwards  of 
the  Select  Branch,  and  has  frequently  been  honored  with  a  re-election. 
He  is  constantly  employed  as  a  menil)er  of  the  various  committees 
of  the  City  Council,  such  as  the  Highway  Committee,  the  Finance 
Committee  and  the  Water  Committee.  In  this  last  office  he  has 
co-operated  very  successfully  with  Mr.  Graef,  the  Chairman  and 
Engineer,  to  whom  as  well  as  to  Mr.  Hodgdon,  the  citizens  of  Phila- 
delphia are  greatly  indebted  for  the  supjDly  of  good  water  which  they 
are  enjoying  without  any  real  increase  of  expense.  As  a  member 
of  the  Councils  Mr.  Hodgdon  has  been  very  diligent  and  punctual 
in  all  his  engagements,  manifesting  a  good  deal  of  business  talent, 
and  showing  himself  practical  and  eloquent  in  resisting,  and  often 
with  success,  unnecessar}^  expenditures  and  fraudulent  impositions 
upon  the  public.  In  these  pursuits  he  is  still  engaged  with  earnestness, 
not  manifesting  any  decline  of  vigor  or  any  of  the  infirmities  of  age. 

The  next  and  last  child  of  Andrew  Hodge,  the  -first,  and  Jane  Mc- 
Cullough,  was  James.  [He  was  the  ninth  in  number.]  He  early  entered 
the  mercantile  service,  l)ocame  a  captain  and  part  owner  of  vessels, 


FAMILY  HISTORY  AXD  REMINISCENCES.  125 

and  was  to  a  certain  extent  prosperous.  About  the  year  1793  he 
undertook  a  voyage  to  the  East  Indies,  and  sailed  from  Philadelphia. 
Since  that  time  no  news  has  come  from  him  except  a  verbal  report 
of  a  sailor,  who  states  that  the  vessel  was  wrecked  on  one  of  the  East 
India  Islands,  supposed  to  be  Borneo.  He  also  affirms  that  Captain 
Hodge  and  all  the  crew  but  himself  were  surrounded  and  destroyed 
by  the  inhabitants.  He  himself  escaped  by  hiding  in  some  bushes. 
Captain  Hodge  left  some  property,  which  was  paid  by  the  under- 
writers on  his  vessel  to  Major  Hodgdon,  the  executor  of  his  will.  He 
was  interested  also  in  the  third  of  the  real  estate  of  his  father.  A 
part  of  this  included  a  house  on  the  east  side  of  Water  Street, 
bounded  on  the  north  by  the  house  and  stores  of  Henry  Pratt,  Esq., 
and  on  the  south  by  the  stores  belonging  to  his  brother,  Dr.  Hugh 
Hodge.  My  father,  Dr.  Hodge,  rented  this  property  from  his  brother, 
and  lived  there  until  1797.  It  was  in  this  house  that  I  and  my  fathers 
other  children  were  born,  with  the  exception  of  my  brother  Charles, 
whose  birth  occurred  while  we  were  living  in  Arch  Street,  above 
Fourth,  in  a  house  next  west  of  Thomas  Stewartson's,  to  whom  it 
belonged. 

Of  the  three  brothers  who  came  over  to  this  countr}^,  the  youngest 
was  HUGH  HODGE.  He  also  settled  in  Philadelphia,  first  as  a  regu- 
lar merchant,  but  afterwards  in  a  dry  goods  store  in  Market  Street, 
above  Second,  on  the  north  side,  where  he  earned  a  very  comfortable 
support.  He,  like  his  brother  Andrew,  was  a  trustee  of  the  Second 
Presbyterian  Church  (in  1780).  He  also  filled  the  office  of  deacon,  and 
this  position  he  occupied  during  the  remainder  of  his  life.  Hugh  mar- 
ried a  Miss  Harkum,  whose  maternal  ancestors  bore  the  name  of  Doz, 
and  were  of  Huguenot  descent.  She  was  connected  with  the  First  Pres- 
byterian Church,  then  on  Market  Street,  and  afterwards  with  Christ 
Church.  Miss  Harkum  early  in  life  had  religious  tendencies,  but  it 
was  not  until  she  came  under  the  influence  of  the  celebrated  Mr.  White- 
field  that  her  religious  character  was  confirmed.  It  was  her  habit  to 
make  every  sacrifice  to  attend  the  preaching  of  the  great  evangelist, 
walking  even  twenty  miles,  if  necessary,  to  accomplish  the  purpose. 
She  was  married  many  years  without  having  children.  Then  a  son  was 
born,  but  he  soon  died.  Afterward  another  lioy  was  given  her,  whom  she 
called  Hugh,  after  his  father.  My  impression  is  that  he  received  a 
classical  education  at  Princeton ;  but,  from  the  account  given  me  by  my 
mother,  it  would  seem  that  he  became  interested  in  mercantile  pur- 
suits, and  soon  after  the  peace  of  1783  he,  and  many  other  young 


126  FAMILY  HISTORY  AND  REMIKISCENCES. 

men,  embarked  for  England  to  engage  in  business.  The  vessel  in 
■which  he  sailed  was  never  heard  of.* 

The  loss  of  their  only  son  weighed  heavily  vipon  his  parents.  They 
nevertheless  attended  steadily  to  their  occupations,  and  to  their 
religious  duties.  Mr.  Hodge's  house  became  indeed  to  a  certain 
degree  a  centre  where  Presbj'terians  collected  for  the  purpose  of 
worship.  This  character  of  the  house  was  maintained  by  his  wife 
after  the  death  of  her  husband,  which  occurred  in  1783. f  Hence,  it 
came  to  pass  that  Aunt  Hannah  was  soon  denominated  "A  Mother  in 
Israel."  Her  house,  and  even  the  yard  of  her  house,  was  crowded 
with  worshippers.  She  received  a  great  deal  of  attention  from 
clergymen,  especially  from  Dr.  Ashbel  Green.  Soon  after  the  demise 
of  her  husband  she  received  as  an  inmate  of  her  house  Mrs.  Finley, 
the  widow  of  President  Finley,  of  the  College  of  Xew  Jersey,  who 
was  blind.  This  good  lady  stayed  with  Aunt  Hannah  as  her  com- 
panion until  the  death  of  the  latter,  when  she  went  to  pass  the 
remainder  of  her  days  in  the  family  of  Dr.  Jackson,  at  the  corner 
of  Fourth  and  Arch  Streets. 

Aunt  Hannah  survived  until  1805,  and  then,  without  much  suffer- 
ing, she  passed  away  in  the  eighty-fifth  year  of  her  age,  leaving  a 
record  for  good  long  to  be  remembered  in  the  Second  Church.  By 
the  will  of  her  husband  she  enjoyed  a  life-interest  in  the  property;  but, 
on  her  death,  all  of  it,  including  the  house  on  Market  Street,  was 
transferred  to  the  Trustees  of  the  College  of  I^ew  Jersey  as  a  per- 
manent fund,  the  interest  of  which  was  to  be  appropriated  to  the 
collegiate  education  of  pious  young  men  looking  forward  to  the 
ministry.  The  fund  still  remains  constant^  productive  in  accordance 
with  the  wishes  of  the  giver. 

Perhaps  I  may    add    that  1  have    some    mementos |  of    my    Aunt 

*"My  uncle,  John  L.  Hodge,  always  stated  that  Hugh  Hodge,  son  of  Hugh  Hodge 
and  Hannah  Harkum,  graduated  from  Princeton  about  1773,  being  in  the  same,  or  about 
the  same,  classes  with  his  cousins,  Andrew  and  Hugh  Hodge,  and  that  his  father  sent  him 
abroad  for  a  trip,  or  to  complete  his  education,  and  that  the  vessel  was  wrecked  on 
the  coast  of  France,  and  young  Hugh  Hodge  was  drowned.  There  seems  to  be  no 
reference  to  a  record  of  him  during  the  time  of  the  Revolution  when  his  cousins,  sons 
of  Andrew  Hodge,  all  took  a  more  or  less  active  part;  and  I  think  that  he  died,  or  was 
lost  at  sea  before  the  Revolution." — J.   Ledyard  Hodge. 

tAccording  to  Dr.  Ashbel  Green,  in  the  General  Assembly's  Missionary  Magazine 
for  1806,  the  date  was  1783;  but,  in  the  genealogical  tree  in  the  possession  of  Mrs.  J. 
Ledyard  Hodge,  and  on  his  tombstone,   it  is  given  as  1784.— E.   B.   H. 

I  "Henry  Wilson  Hodge,  son  of  J.  Ledyard  Hodge,  Esq.,  has  a  pair  of  gold  link 
sleeve-buttons,  marked  H.  H.,  formerly  belonging  to  Hugh  Hodge,  which  he  often 
wears,  and  which  are  almost  identically  the  same  pattern  as  those  used  to-day,  a 
century  later."— J.   Ledyard  Hodge. 


FAMILY  HISTORY  AND  REMINISCENCES,  127 

Hannah.  Some  of  her  family  silver  came  to  my  mother.  This 
silver,  being  in  a  very  battered  condition,  was  remelted  and  converted 
into  plate,  consisting  of  a  tea  pot,  a  sugar  bowl  and  a  cream  jug;  also, 
two  dozen  teaspoons,  all  of  which  were  marked  with  the  initials  M.  H. 
To  me  also  came  as  an  heirloom  a  large  old-fashioned  clock,  probably 
made  toward  the  beginning  of  the  seventeenth  (eighteenth?)  century, 
or  perhaps  earlier,  although  it  is  uncertain  when  it  came  into  the  pos- 
session of  my  uncle  Hugh  Hodge.  This  clock  has  a  handsome  mahog- 
any case,  a  metallic  face  and  a  musical  arrangement  so  contrived  that 
a  tune  is  jjlayed  every  hour  before  striking.  It  is  a  most  excellent 
time-piece. 

I  have  also  an  old-fashioned  secretary  in  my  office,  some  eight 
feet  high,  furnished  with  large  drawers,  a  writing-desk  and  a  large 
number  of  pigeon-holes  for  papers  and  books,  as  well  as  several 
arrangements  for  the  concealment  of  money  and  papers.  This  piece 
of  furniture  was  left  by  Aunt  Hannah  to  Dr.  Ashbel  Green.  Dr. 
Green's  son,  Jacob  Green,  Esq.,  politely  presented  it  to  me  after  the 
death  of  his  father,  who  lived  until  he  was  eighty-dx  years  of  age. 

With  the  death  of  Aunt  Hannah  came  to  an  end  this  branch  of  the 
Hodge  family,  while  the  descendants  of  the  two  brothers,  Andrew  and 
William,  were,  on  the  other  hand,  very  numerous. 


Memoir  of  Hannah  Hodge,  Widow  of  Hugh  Hodge, 

WHO  DIED  IN  PHILADELPHIA,  PA.,  DECEMBER  17,  1805,  IN  THE 
EIGHTY-FIFTH  YEAR  OF  HER  AGE. 


(Written  by  her  pastor,  the  Rev.  Ashbel  Green,  D.D.,  for  the  "Assembly  Magazine." 
See  the  Panoplist,  February  2d,  for  the  year  ending  June,  1807.  Philadelphia 
Library.) 


"Hannah  Hodge  was  l)orn  in  Philadelphia,  Janiiar}^,  1721.  Her 
father's  name  was  John  Harkum,  an  Englishman  by  descent.  Her 
mother,  whose  maiden  name  was  Doe  or  Doz,  was  a  descendant  of 
a  French  Protestant,  who  fled  from  France  on  account  of  the 
Eevocation  of  the  Edict  of  Nantes  in  1685.  He  and  other  French 
Protestants  were  principally  instrumental  in  founding  the  First  Pres- 
byterian Church,  on  Market  Street  above  Second,  of  which  afterwards 
the  Eev.  Jedediah  AndrcAvs  was  pastor.  There  was  much  dissatisfac- 
tion among  some  of  the  members  concerning  Mr.  Andrews,  so  that 
Mrs.  Hodge's  maternal  grandfather  and  others  joined  the  Episcopal 
Church.  Her  ov/n  parents,  however,  remained  with  the  First  Church. 
Mrs.  Hodge  became  a  communicant  at  the  age  of  fifteen  or  sixteen; 
but  she  regarded  her  true  conversion  as  having  occurred  under  the 
preaching  of  \^niitefield.  At  one  time  she  walked  twenty  miles  to 
hear  him  preach;  but  in  after  years  she  did  not  approve  of  such 
excursions.  Particulars  are  given  of  her  conversion  and  also  of 
the  trials  and  actual  persecutions  to  which  she  Avas  subjected  in 
consequence  of  her  devotion  to  religious  subjects.  Even  her  father 
drove  her  and  her  sister  from  the  house;  and  these  tAvo  girls  were 
obliged  to  support  themselves  by  keeping  a  small  store  and  doing 
needlcAvork.  The  father,  however,  before  his  death,  Avas  reconciled 
to  them,  and  expressed  his  regret  for  his  severity. 

"In  1743  the  Second  Church  Avas  founded  l)y  Gill)crt  Tennent  and 
the  converts  of  \\niitefield,  one  hundred  and  forty  ))eing  received  as 
members,  among  whom  Avas  the  subject  of  this  memoir.  In,  or  about 
the  year  1745  she  Avas  married  to  Mr.  Hugh  Hodge,  the  youngest 
brother  of  William  and  AndrcAV  Hodge,  Avho  also  Avas  himself  con- 
verted under  the  preaching  of  Whitefield,  and  Avho  became  a  deacon 
in  the  Second  Church,  Avhich  position  he  retained  until  his  death. 

"To   support  themselves  they   opened   a   store   on   ]\Iarket    Street, 

(128) 


FAMILY  HISTORT  AND  REMINISCENCES.  129 

above  Second,  on  the  north  side.  They  were  married  eleven  years 
without  having  children.  Mrs.  Hodge  says :  'JSTor  had  I  ever  any 
particular  desire  for  them  until  one  Sabbath  when  there  happened 
to  be  the  baptism  of  an  infant,  when  it  suddenly  came  to  me  what  an 
honor  was  conferred  upon  a  mother  to  train  her  child  for  the  Lord.  I 
then  prayed  earnestly  that  this  blessing  might  be  given  me.  My 
prayer  was  answered^,  for,  in  the  course  of  one  year,  my  child  was 
born,  presented  to  the  Lord,  and  taken  to  himself.'  This  was  a 
daughter.  She  afterwards  had  a  son,  who  grew  up  to  manhood,  and 
studied  medicine.  During  the  Eevolutionary  War  this  son  went  to 
sea  on  a  voyage  of  enterprise* 

"The  house  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hodge  was  the  resort  of  clergymen  for 
religious  meetings,  and  prayer  meetings  were  held  sometimes  so  large 
that  the  people,  not  only  filled  the  house,  but  even  crowded  out  into 
the  yard. 

"Mr.  Hodge  died  in  1783.  His  property  was  left  so  that  the 
proceeds  were  received  by  his  widow  during  her  life,  and,  after  her 
death  in  December,  1805,  the  principal  was  transferred  to  the  College 
of  New  Jersey  on  the  condition  that  the  annual  income  thereof  should 
be  devoted  to  the  education  of  pious  young  men  destined  for  the 
ministry.     This  endowment  is  still  preserved. 

"After  the  death  of  her  husband  Mrs.  Hodge  still  maintained  her 
religious  associations  established  early  in  life.  Her  house  became 
often  the  abode  of  clergymen,  and  a  place  for  religious  conference 
and  prayer. 

"(For  many  years  after  the  death  of  her  husband  she  continued)  to 
supervise  her  store,  now  no  longer  necessary  for  her  sustenance,  but 
the  instrument  of  her  charities  in  various  directions;  for  every 
penny  that  was  made  in  this  store  was  devoted  to  benevolence. 

"Until  within  two  years  of  her  death  Mrs.  Hodge  maintained 
good  general  health  and  much  activity  of  mind  and  body,  although 
with  two  or  three  temporary  interruptions  from  congestion  of  the 
brain.  From  these  attacks,  although  serious,  she  wonderfully  recovered. 
The  last  two  years,  however,  she  rapidly  failed  in  mind  and  body,  and 
on  December  15th,  1805,  had  an  apoplectic  seizure,  which  terminated 
fatally  on  the  17th,  when  she  was  in  the  eighty-fifth  year  of  her  age." 

*My  mother  afterwards  told  me  that  young  Hugh  Hodge,  with  a  number  of  young 
Philadelphia  merchants,  embarked  for  Europe  immediately  after  the  peace  of  1783,  bul 
that  the  vessel  was  never  heard  of.  My  cousin,  John  L.  Hodge,  thought  that  he  saileC 
in  the  United  States  ship  "Alliance,"  and  that  he  was  lost  in  some  of  her  adventurous' 
undertakings. — H.  L.  H. 

See  also  Note  by  J.  Ledyard  Hodge  at  bottom  of  page  126. 

9 


130  FAMILY  HISTORY  AND  REMINISCENCES. 

Dr.  Green  concludes  his  notice  by  a  very  high  eulogium  upon  her 
character.  Solid,  sterling  integrity,  and  sincere  piety,  united  with 
great  humility,  the  love  of  truth  and  abhorrence  of  hypocrisy,  were  her 
chief  characteristics.  This  gave  her  an  influence  among  her  Christian 
associates  perhaps  superior  to  that  of  any  other  individual. 

She  made  her  house  the  home  of  the  stranger  and  the  orphan ;  and 
for  the  last  few  years  of  her  life  she  enjoyed  the  companionship  and 
the  friendly  attentions  of  Mrs.  Finley,  the  aged  and  amiable  widow 
of  the  Eev.  Dr.  Finley,  President  of  the  College  of  ISTew  Jersey.  At 
the  death  of  Mrs.  Hodge,  Mrs.  Finley*  (nee  Clarkson)  l^ecame  the  in- 
mate for  a  time  of  the  family  of  Mr.  David  Jackson. 

Whitefield,  under  whose  preaching  Hannah  Hodge  was  converted  in 
1739,  preached  to  a  crowd  of  fifteen  thousand  persons  on  Society  Hill, 
so  called  as  being  used  by  the  Free  Society  of  Traders.  It  had  its 
summit  on  Pine  Street  and  rose  in  graceful  grandeur  upon  the  pre- 
cincts of  Spruce  Street!  An  old  letter  of  the  time  says  :  "The  change 
in  religion  here  is  altogether  surprising  through  the  influence  of 
Wliitefield.  ^o  books  sell  but  religious,  and  such  is  the  general  con- 
versation." 

The  Second  Church  at  tbat  time  became  housed,  according  to  a 
paper  in  Watson's  Annals  of  Philadelphia,  in  the  old  Academy,  a 
building  which  was  originally  constructed  on  subscription  money  raised 
by  the  celebrated  \^niitefield  for  the  use  of  itinerant  preachers  forever, 
as  well  as  for  the  maintenance  of  his  peculiar  views  and  tenets,  then 
called  "New  Light,"  the  promulgation  of  which  caused  his  former 
friends  in  the  First  Presbyterian  Church  no  longer  to  hold  fellowship 
with  his  followers.  The  building  was  l^egun  in  1741,  and,  when  the 
walls  were  but  about  four  feet  high,  it  was  preached  in  by  \¥hitefield 
to  a  great  congregation.  It  was  finished  in  1744,  faster  than  money 
had  been  procured  to  pay  for  its  erection.  Under  these  circumstances 
Dr.  Franklin  in  1749  raised  seven  hundred  and  seventy-seven  pounds 
for  t]ie  purchase  of  the  property,  and  it  was  converted  into  the  first 
Academy  in  Philadelphia,  with  the  condition  that  a  preaching  hall 
should  be  partitioned  off  aud  reserved  to  the  use  of  itinerants  forever- 
In  1753  (June  10,  1755)  it  was  made  the  College  of  Philadelphia,  and 
November  27,  1779,  the  University.  Dr.  William  Smith  was  inducted 
as  first  Provost,  beginning  his  labors,  however,  in  1754. 

*Thp    first    wife    of    President    Finley    (Sarah    HaH)    was    the    great-grandmother    of 
Samuel  Finley  Breese  Morse,  whose  inventive  genius  gave  the  telegraph  to  the  world, 
•and  of  Sidney  E.  Morse,  and  Richard  C.  Morse;  the  last  being  the  father  of  Charlotte 
G.  Morse    (Mrs.  J.  Aspinwall  Hodge). — B.  B.  H. 


FAillLY  HISTORY  AND  REMINISCENCES.  131 

The  Second  Church  was  then  built,  Rev.  Gilbert  Teuuent,  Pastor,  at 
the  corner  of  Third  and  Arch  streets.  The  Rev.  William  Teuuent,  who 
came  from  Ireland,  arrived  in  Ne«^  York  (?)  iu  1718,='=  and  iu  1721 
removed  to  15eusalem,  iu  Bucks  county.  Pa.  Soon,  however,  he  settled 
in  a  Presbyterian  church  of  small  consideration  at  the  forks  of  the 
iS"eshaminy  (he  had  been  ordained  a  Churchman),  where  he  opened  a 
school  for  teaching  the  languages,  etc.  There  he  formed  many  of  the 
youth  of  early  renown,  and  many  of  the  early  clergymen  of  the  Presby- 
terian Church,  among  whom  were  Rowland,  Campbell,  Lawrence, 
Beatly  and  others.  It  received  the  name  of  "  Log  College."  His  four 
sons  all  became  clergymen  Gilbert  was  remarkable  for  his  ardor  in 
Whitefield's  cause,  and  the  schism  he  formed  in  the  Presbyterian 
Church.  He  lived  for  many  years  at  Bedminster,  desci'ibed  as 
a  neat  country-place,  having  a  fine  collection  of  fruit-trees.  It  was 
at  the  northeast  corner  of  Brewer's  alley  and  Fourth  street,  which  was 
then  considered  far  out  of  town.  In  the  year  1755  it  was  advertised 
as  a  "  very  rural,  agreeable  place."  Its  proper  front  was  upon  the 
present  Wood  street,  formerly  called  Brewer's  alley  because  of  a  brew- 
house.  Rev.  Gilbert  ^enuent  laid  the  foundation  of  the  Presbyterian 
Church  at  the  northwest  corner  of  Third  and  Arch  streets,  then  bearing 
the  name  of  the  New  Meetiug-House.  It  was  at  first  without  a  steeple, 
but  an  effort  to  raise  one  was  attempted  among  the  society,  and  it  "  fall- 
ing much  short,"  they,  iu  the  year  1753,  succeeded  to  draw  a  lottery 
and  have  it  finished.  The  steeple  was  afterward  taken  down  for  fear  it 
would  blow  over  It  was  a  very  neat  and  ornamental  structure;  and 
the  Episcopalians,  of  no  mind  to  see  their  architectural  beauties  rivaled, 
gave  rise  to  the  satirical  couplet : 

"  The  Presbyterians  built  a  church,  and  feign  would  have  a  steeple  ; 
We  think  it  may  become  the  church,  but  not  become  the  people." 

"When  Teuuent  lived  at  Bedminster  country-seat  he  was  one  day 
overtaken  in  a  storm  of  rain,  and  put  into  the  tavern  known  as  '  The 
White  Horse,'  at  the  northwest  corner  of  Brewer's  alley  and  Third  street. 
Having  hitched  his  horse  to  the  buttonwood  tree  then  there,  he  went 
into  the  house;  and,  while  he  was  seated  by  the  fire  drying  his  clothes, 
lightning  came  down  the  chimney  and  melted  the  silver  buckles  on  his 
knee-bands  and  shoes.  The  people  thought  him  invulnerable  as  a  saint 
of  God." 

The  ground  where  the  Second  Church  was  built  was  at  one  time  owned 

*  William  Tennent  "came  to  America  in  September,  1716,"  according  to  Webster  ("  History  of 
the  Presbyterian  Cliurch,"  p.  365).  According  to  Dr.  Sprague,  "he  landed  at  Philadelphia  on 
the  6th  of  September,  1718"  ("  Annals  of  the  American  Pulpit,"  Vol.  Ill,  p.  23).— E.  B.  H. 


132  FAMILY  HISTOEY  AND  EEMINISCENCES. 

by  one  Richard  Hill,  proprietor  of  the  land  extending  from  Arch  and 
Third  streets  to  Vine  and  Fifth  streets,  which  he  used  as  a  kind  of 
farm ;  and,  when  the  Presbyterian  church  was  built,  it  was  spoken  of 
as  "on  Dr.  Hill's  pasture"  (From  Watson's  "  Annals  of  Philadel- 
phia," volumes  1  and  2). 


"  A  sketch  of  the  connection  of  the  Hodge  family  with  the  Second 
Presbyterian  Church  of  Philadelphia  (as)  collected  by  the  oldest  survi- 
vor of  the  family  at  this  time  (1870),  from  early  recoHections  and 
accounts  occasionally  given  by  friends  and  .relatives  of  a  former  genera- 
tion." (This  is  copied  from  the  paper  of  Cousin  Sally  Hodge,  wife  of 
William  L.  Hodge,  of  Washington,  and  formerly  Sally  Bayard. ) 


At  the  time  of  the  formation  or  collecting  of  the  Second  Presbyterian 
Church,  Mr.  Andrew  Hodge,  (the  first),  with  his  son-in-la^v.  Col.  John 
Bayard,  and  his  brother,  Mr.  Hugh  Hodge,  were  among  its  most  able 
and  zealous  supporters,  and  contributed  largely  by  money  and  personal 
influence  to  the  erection  of  the  brick  building  at  the  corner  of  Arch 
and  Third  streets.  Here  each  built  a  pew,  which,  in  process  of  time,  was 
transmitted  to  their  successors  respectively.  A  congregation,  large  for 
that  time,  was  soon  collected,  and  the  first  Pastor  was  the  Rev.  Gilbert 
Tennent,  whose  descendants  remained  in  the  church  until  within  a 
very  few  yeai-s  (say  1860).  After  the  death  of  Mr.  Hugh  Hodge,  his 
widow,  the  much  respected  and  venerated  Mrs.  Hannah  Hodge,  having 
no  children  living,  proposed  to  her  nephew,  Mr.  Andrew  Hodge,  that 
he  should  take  her  pew  as  his,  reserving  for  herself  a  seat  in  it,  thus 
leaving  his  father's  pew  to  Dr.  Hodge.  That  transfer  could  not  be 
made  without  the  consent  of  the  trustees  of  the  church,  as  by  the  charter 
there  must  be  a  sale  (in  fact,  but  nominal  in  this  case)  to  render  the 
transfer  legal.  This  was  early  effected,  and  the  fifth  pew  from  the 
pulpit  on  the  south  side  of  the  middle  aisle  became  the  possession  of 
Andrew  Hodge,  and  the  first  pew  from  the  pulpit  on  the  north  side  of 
the  same  aisle  was  the  property  of  Dr.  Hodge.  On  his  death  it  rested 
with  his  widow  as  the  guardian  of  his  sons,  then  children,  and  (so) 
remained  during  her  life.  It  is  now  the  property  of  Dr.  (Hugh  L. ) 
Hodge.  (Subsequently  it  belonged  to  his  son,  Dr.  H.  Lenox  Hodge,  a 
ruling  elder  in  the  church. ) 


Gaylord  Bros. 

Makers 
Syracuse,  N.  Y. 

PAT.  JAN.  21.  1908 


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